Sixteen protesters who took refuge in a UN compound in Gaza on Thursday to flee from Hamas police left the premises and called off a planned hunger strike, a UN official said.
"They all left. The authorities in Gaza gave assurances that they will be safe," said Chris Gunness, spokesman for the United Nations relief agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
Two hours earlier, one of the demonstrators said the groups planned to stage an indefinite hunger strike to demand an end to Palestinian divisions and reconciliation between rival factions.
Earlier, the protesters demonstrated outside the compound for Palestinian national unity before the gathering was violently broken up by security forces of the Islamist Hamas which rules the Gaza Strip, witnesses said.
They chased away dozens of demonstrators and seized the memory cards from photographers and cameramen at the scene, they said.
It was not immediately clear if anyone was arrested or injured.
After the 16 people took refuge inside the compound, UNRWA called on Gaza's Hamas rulers to ensure their safety.
"UNRWA has appealed to the relevant authorities in Gaza to allow these 16 people safe passage from the UNRWA compound and to guarantee their safety," Gunness said in a statement.
Hamas officials refused to comment on the incident. Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri explained that he was not willing to speak with Ma'an or issue a statement, citing the news network's "lies and fabrications."
On Tuesday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of the Palestinian territories to demand Hamas and the rival Fatah party which dominates the Palestinian Authority end their bitter enmity.
But despite leaders of the Hamas and the West Bank-based Fatah agreeing to meet to talk, the Islamist movement which who controls Gaza has since used force to disperse several follow-up demonstrations.
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