BEIRUT, Lebanon - Factional violence that exploded across Gaza City reflected Monday on the mood of Palestinian refugees living in camps in southern Lebanon, and raised concern that such violence could reach their areas.

Tension inside the largest camp of Ain el Hilweh, east of the southern port city of Tyre, was noticeable. But things were still under control in areas controlled by the mainstream Fatah and others where the majority are Hamas followers.

"We are worried about the situation as we are witnessing daily protests and counter protests inside the camps here," said 70-year- old Abu Talal, a resident who said belonged to neither group.

"There is tension in every street in the camp and any misunderstanding can ignite a clash," Abu Talal told Deutsche Presse- Agentur, dpa.

For the elderly who left Palestine in 1948 and came as refugees to Lebanon, the situation inside the Palestinian territories is a worry. They want to avoid seeing a civil war erupting among their people.

"The most important thing is for our leaders to learn from other countries' mistakes and avoid bloodshed," said another resident, Ahmed Cherri.

Most of the refugees in Ain el Hilweh were reading the latest reports and following the progress of the ceasefire agreed late Sunday.

"We are following the situation hour by hour. We hope they can reach a compromise," said a vegetable vendor.

Since Saturday, Fatah has organized several demonstrations across the 12 Palestinian refugees in Lebanon in support of President Mahmoud Abbas, while Hamas has launched counter protests lashing at Abbas and accusing him of inflaming the crisis by calling for early elections.

"Abbas is carrying out American orders in order to topple the Hamas government," said Osama Hamdan, Hamas spokesman in Lebanon.

For his part, the spokesman of the Islamic Jihad in Lebanon Abu Imad Rifai said: "The Palestinian people will take the streets to say no to violence and civil strife. We will not allow any gang backed by outside forces to carry out a coup d'etat."

Fatah gunmen were meanwhile on alert in the camp, while areas under the Hamas control witnessed tension after an incident Saturday when a "sonic bomb" was thrown at a mosque as Hamadan was delivering a speech.

Pictures of the late president Yasser Arafat along with Abbas were put on display in streets under the control of Fatah, while pictures of Premier Ismail Haniya were posted in Hamas-controlled districts.

The head of the mainstream Fatah movement in Lebanon, Sultan Abu al Anian, called on Hamas to "come back to their senses and not listen to the orders of certain regimes" - taken as a reference to Iran.

"Palestine is not for sale," he said, warning that "the Palestinians in Lebanon will not be a weapon for rent - and if someone thinks that way, he is terribly mistaken."

There are some 367,000 Palestinian living in 12 camps across Lebanon. Most camps have a mix of Fatah and Hamas followers. -DPA