GAZA CITY (CNN) -- About 150 pro-Fatah Palestinians seeking refuge from a Hamas crackdown in eastern Gaza City were allowed into Israel on Saturday, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman told CNN.
They were let in at the request of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas after Hamas took control of a neighborhood in eastern Gaza City on Saturday.
The Palestinians entered through a security checkpoint in Nahal Oz in the Gaza Strip's northern region Saturday afternoon, the spokesman said.
"They were asking to enter the state of Israel after being threatened by Hamas gunmen," the spokesman said.
The spokesman said the Palestinians, some of whom were wounded, were allowed to cross the border after they disarmed. He also said they would be asked about the events leading them to seek refuge in Israel.
Those who suffered injuries were taken to a facility to receive medical treatment.
It was a rare act that could be interpreted as a sign of Israel's support of the Fatah party, which is led by Abbas.
"It was a sort of humane gesture," the IDF spokesman said.
Hamas forces took control of the al-Shojaeya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City late Saturday, ending several hours of deadly fighting.
The Hamas forces were battling a family suspected of harboring Fatah members wanted in last week's Gaza beach bombing.
Hamas police surrounded the clan, and a battle began with rocket-propelled grenades, rockets and rifles, sources said.
The violence in the large neighborhood left four people -- two of them police -- dead and at least 60 wounded.
Hamas forces began raiding houses in the 15-block neighborhood after the fighting died down, arresting at least 12 men Saturday night.
Earlier, the Hilles clan, a family known to support Fatah, refused Hamas police demands to hand over 20 activists suspected in the bomb attack, sources said.
Hamas security forces in Gaza had already detained hundreds of people affiliated with Fatah since five Hamas militants and a child died in the July 25 beach bombing. Fatah sources say about 450 were apprehended.
Among the dead in the beach attack was Amar Musubah, a Hamas military commander, who has been the target of Israeli military assassination attempts.
Fatah denied responsibility for the attack.
Hamas sources said Saturday the group will release 10 Fatah members arrested earlier in Gaza.
In addition, Hamas released Fatah spokesman Ibrahim Abu-Naja.
Hamas also shut down a radio station, accusing it of airing pro-Fatah broadcasts.
The two Palestinian factions have been bitterly divided since Hamas drove Abbas' security forces from Gaza last year.
Gaza tunnel collapse kills 5, hurts 16
Meanwhile, early Saturday, a tunnel used to smuggle goods into Gaza from Egypt collapsed, killing at least five people and injuring 16, Palestinian sources said.
The supply tunnel, which collapsed near Rafah, was one of many dug along the Gaza-Egypt border in the past year, since Israel closed border crossings.
The move followed Hamas' takeover of the territory.
The tunnel operations have grown into a big business. The tunnels are sometimes built too close to each other for safety.
Topic: NEWS: 150 Fatah supporters enter Israel after Hamas takes over east Gaza (Read 2151 times)