Gaza militants condemn disorder

The plea was made at a press conference in Rafah

The main Palestinian militant groups in Gaza have issued a joint statement calling on the government to end lawlessness in Palestinian territory.

The statement condemned the recent abductions of foreigners and attacks on government buildings in the area.

On Wednesday, two Egyptian soldiers were killed after militants bulldozed through Gaza's border fence with Egypt.

They were demanding the release of a militant arrested for kidnapping three British citizens last week.

British aid worker Kate Burton, her father Hugh, and her mother Helen, were abducted near the Rafah border crossing on 28 December.

They were released unharmed on 30 December.

Chaos

Masked gunmen read out the statement at a press conference in Rafah.

It was signed by the Fatah-linked al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and Abu al-Rish Brigades; the Fatah Hawks; the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing; the al-Quds Brigades, Islamic Jihad's armed wing; and the al-Nasir Salah al-Din Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees.

"We condemn the death of the two Egyptian border guards and the kidnapping of the foreigners by people who are breaking the national consensus," the statement said.

The groups pledged to establish "a communal force to ensure the security of the motherland and its citizens if the Palestinian Authority does not fulfil its duties."

They also said anyone attacking Palestinian institutions and the border crossing at Rafah in the future would be treated as a suspect and an agent.

Correspondents say the militants appear to be acknowledging growing Palestinian and international pressure to halt the chaos in the Gaza Strip.

The announcement also comes amid concern over the security situation before parliamentary elections due to be held 25 January.