Eight Palestinians, including four civilians, have been killed and about 60 injured in gunfights between rival political factions in the Gaza Strip.
Abbas has been locked in an increasingly bitter power struggle with the government of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh over stalled efforts to form a unity coalition after Hamas trounced Fatah in parliamentary elections in January.
Palestinians hoped a unity government would ease Western sanctions that have prevented the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority from paying full salaries to civil servants for more than six months.
But the talks broke down after Abbas accused Hamas of reneging on a commitment to accept past peace deals with Israel.
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