Gazans loot Erez crossing into Israel

The Israeli army said it was checking the report of shooting at the crossing, which has largely been closed for the past week.

Since the fall of Gaza to Hamas, Israel has permitted some senior Fatah
officials to pass through Erez, via Israel, to the West Bank.

In the West Bank on Saturday, hundreds of Fatah gunmen stormed Hamas-controlled institutions, including parliament and government ministries, and told staffers that those with ties to Hamas will not be allowed to return.

At the parliament building in Ramallah, the Fatah supporters chanted, "Hamas Out," climbed on the roof of the building and fired in the air.

Also on Saturday, Hamas announced it is barring armed men from wearing masks.

In the past, many of the security forces and gunmen had put on ski masks during battles, to avoid possible reprisals.

In five days of fighting in the Gaza Strip, which ended late Thursday, Hamas gunmen defeated their rivals from Fatah with surprising swiftness, seizing their security installations and marching Fatah fighters down the street shirtless with hands raised. The violence left at least 80 people dead.