The BBC's Peter Van Velsen: "It was a huge welcome"

Sheikh Yassin described the visit as an attempt to destroy Palestinian unity.

He said Mr Clinton was an enemy of the Palestinians and a friend of Israel.

Sheikh Ahmed Yassin is revered by Hamas supporters

Speaking to a crowd of around 15,000 at a rally at a refugee camp in Gaza city, Sheikh Yassin urged his supporters to continue the fight against Israel.

The rally was to mark the 11th anniversary of the founding of the Islamic Resistance Movement -- known by its Arabic acronym Hamas -- which opposes the Oslo peace accords with Israel.

Criticised Wye River deal

Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority placed Sheikh Yassin under house arrest two months ago after he criticised the signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Wye River Memorandum.

The state of house arrest was lifted on Wednesday.

Speaking in his distinctive high-pitched voice Sheikh Yassin told the crowd his movement would "continue down our martyrs' path until our land is liberated".

He said Hamas "offered its hand to the Palestinian Authority to preserve the unity of the Palestinian people".

Sheikh Yassin told the crowd Hamas wanted a peace which would give Palestinians, including those who had been forced into exile, their rights and would give them back the land they had lost since the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.