GAZA, Jan 1 (Reuters) - A Hamas member was killed in Palestinian factional fighting in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, medical officials said, raising the death toll in clashes between Hamas and Fatah in the past 24 hours to six.

Two supporters of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's secular Fatah faction and three people linked to the Islamist Hamas group were killed when violence erupted in the coastal territory on Monday, medical workers said.

Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip when it routed Abbas's forces in June and has since banned public gatherings by Fatah supporters.

The violence began on Monday when Fatah supporters defied the ban and gathered to celebrate their group's anniversary.

Witnesses said gunfire echoed through the streets of Gaza and that Hamas declared a full alert among its forces.

On Monday, Abbas urged Hamas to agree to early elections, cede control of the Gaza Strip and hold reconciliation talks with Fatah. (Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Writing by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Ralph Gowling)

AlertNet news is provided by