Dec 16 (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Abbas called on Saturday for fresh Palestinian elections, raising the stakes with the Hamas government after days of internal violence that has renewed fears of civil war.

Following is a chronology of key events since the Hamas Islamists won parliamentary elections:

Jan 25, 2006 - Hamas defeats Abbas's long-dominant Fatah movement in an upset victory.

March 29 - Hamas government sworn in after other factions including Fatah refuse to join. United States severs contact with the new government.

April 7 - United States and European Union suspend aid to the Palestinian government.

May 17 - Government posts new Hamas-dominated security force on Gaza streets in a direct challenge to Abbas, who orders a rival deployment of police. Forces clash within days, foreshadowing internal tensions to come.

June 25 - Hamas militants and other gunmen launch raid into Israel from Gaza, killing two soldiers and capturing an Israeli conscript, Corporal Gilad Shalit. Three days later Israel invades Gaza.

Aug 16 - Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas say they will renew negotiations to form a unity government.

Sept 11 - Abbas and Haniyeh announce agreement to form a unity administration. Talks quickly founder over what the new cabinet's stance will be toward Israel and myriad other issues.

Oct 1 - Worst internal Palestinian fighting in a decade kills nine Palestinians, raising fears of civil war.

Nov 11 - Abbas, saying talks with Hamas have made progress, says unity government could be formed within weeks.

Nov 13 - Palestinian officials say they are close to agreement on naming a Gaza academic to replace Haniyeh as head of the new government.

Nov 26 - Ceasefire in Gaza announced, ending five-month Israeli offensive that followed abduction of Shalit. Sporadic violence persists, but truce still in effect.

Nov 30 - Abbas says unity talks at a "dead end".

Dec 9 - Abbas's aides say the president, frustrated by failure of unity government talks, will call early elections.

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