JERUSALEM -- Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas was urged by his parliamentary faction to declare a state of emergency in the Gaza Strip yesterday, as the week's death toll from heavy factional fighting climbed to 44.

In scenes that are drawing increasing comparisons to civil-war-era Beirut or quarters of Baghdad, gunmen fought in broad daylight on Gaza City streets, driving families indoors and keeping schools and shops closed.

And the ceasefire between Palestinian militant groups and Israeli forces that had largely held since November appeared to be at an end. Another two dozen Qassam rockets fell on Israel, and Israel resumed a campaign of targeted assassinations of Palestinian militants.

"What is happening in Gaza endangers not only the unity government, but the Palestinian social fabric, the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian strategy as a whole," senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told news agencies.

The continuing violence - largely Hamas gunmen attacking Fatah forces - has drawn accusations of an attempted coup against the two-month-old government, sworn in after months of negotiation between Hamas, which controls the Palestinian Legislative Council, and Fatah, which backs Mr. Abbas.

Early yesterday, Hamas forces attacked the home of Fatah security chief Rashid Abu Shbak and killed six of his bodyguards, though he and his family were not home at the time. An 11-storey apartment building, home to Fatah legislative council member Nema Sheikh Ali and her security-chief husband, was set on fire after gunmen broke into the apartment and beat her and two of her children. An ambush on a Fatah security jeep carrying Hamas prisoners led to the death of two Fatah guards and five detainees; even Mr. Abbas's empty Gaza residence was targeted with mortars and bullets.

Mr. Abbas has appealed for calm and was expected to travel to Gaza today for talks with Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. An agreement extracted by telephone from Hamas leader-in-exile Khaled Meshaal to end the violence had no immediate impact.

Several Fatah leaders have urged Mr. Abbas to declare a state of emergency, which would give him the power to rule by decree for 30 days, essentially bypassing the Hamas-controlled legislature. But such a declaration could not be renewed beyond 30 days without the support of two-thirds of legislators.

"If these militias continue, whether you declare a state of emergency or not, that is not going to solve the problem. ..," said Palestinian political scientist Said Zaydani. "It's clear this government cannot survive if this kind of situation continues."

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