Fatah official detained in Gaza

Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in control of the Gaza Strip, says it is holding a key adviser to Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

About 30 men seized Omar al-Ghoul at his Gaza home early on Friday, accusing him of collaborating with Israel, his family said.

A Hamas spokesman said he was being questioned over "illegal activities".

Meanwhile, at three people have been killed and 35 wounded by an explosion at a funeral in Gaza City.

Witnesses said a grenade was thrown into the crowd, which was made up mainly of Fatah sympathisers who had gathered for the funeral of a Fatah man killed by an Israeli air strike.

Hamas said the grenade appeared to have been dropped accidentally.

Outspoken critic

Mr Ghoul, the abducted Fatah adviser, had recently left the Gaza Strip to work for Salam Fayyad, Fatah prime minister, in the West Bank.

Those injured in the funeral explosion sought hospital treatment

Mr Ghoul has been an outspoken critic of Hamas, who seized Gaza in June after ousting their Fatah rivals by force.

He had returned to Gaza for a few days only, to attend a funeral.

Palestinian Information Minister Riyad al-Malki blamed "criminals working for Hamas" and called for Mr Ghoul's immediate release.

"Hamas and all of its parties are responsible for his life," the Reuters news agency reported him as saying.

His detention was a message to Fatah leaders that "Gaza is closed to them", Mr Malki added.