Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas decided Thursday to declare a state of emergency and to dissolve the Hamas-Fatah coalititon government, following Hamas' near-complete takeover in the Gaza Strip.

Abbas' Fatah movement and rival faction Hamas have been waging bloody warfare in the Gaza Strip as Hamas moved in to seize control; at least 80 Palestinians have been killed since the beginning of this week.

The decisions were announced in a news conference by top Abbas aide Tayeb Abdel Rahim.

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Deposed Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said early Friday that Abbas' decision to fire him and his government over Gaza violence was hasty.

Haniyeh told a late night Gaza news conference that Abbas and his advisers did not consider the consequences (of the decision) and its effects on the situation on the ground.

Speaking of the chaos in Gaza, Haniyeh said: "We will impose public order in the Gaza Strip beginning from this moment onwards. All governmental institutions will be protected."

Haniyeh then called on Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip to announce a general amnesty.

Meanwhile, the PA chairman intends to call for the deployment of a multi-national force in Gaza, and plans to appoint an independent politician as the new Palestinian prime minister, to replace Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, his aides said earlier.

Abbas had already informed the United States, Egypt and Jordan of his decision, Rahim said.

Following the announcement of Abbas' decision, Hamas issued a statement saying it rejected Abbas' decrees.

"Hamas rejects the Abbas decisions. In practical terms these decisions are worthless. Prime Minister Haniyeh remains the head of the government even if it was dissolved by the president," senior Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.

Damascus-based deputy political leader of Hamas Moussa Abu-Marzouk said Thursday of Abbas' decision "Abu Mazen [Abbas' nom de guerre] should have opened, rather than closed, the door to dialogue as he did in a hasty way."

He added that Abbas' decision to fire the prime minister would complicate matters and that Haniyeh would likely stay on as prime minister of the Palestinian Authority.

He also said that Hamas has talked with Abbas about a seven-point deal to stop the violence, but blamed some unnamed parties for blocking the deal.

He refused to disclose details about the deal or speculate more why it had failed.

Abu Marzouk also declared that there would be no change in the status of the Gaza Strip, and no Islamic rule would be declared in the territory after a takeover of the seaside strip by the militant group.

"Gaza will remain Gaza and there will be no changes in its future and will continue to be linked to the West Bank whether he [Abbas] removed the government or not," he said.

He rejected talk of declaring an Islamic state in Gaza. "This talk has no basis ... We are committed to the rules and basic laws organizing the Palestinian Authority," he said.

Earlier in the day, Abu Marzouk warned Fatah against carrying the fighting with Hamas from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank.

Abu Marzouk said that Fatah has threatened to carry the fighting to its stronghold the West Bank, where Hamas is weak. There were already some sporadic clashes in some West Bank areas early Thursday.

This is very dangerous for our people, Abu Marzouk said by telephone in Damascus, "all wise people, especially in Fatah, should be aware of this danger and should prevent the men of [Fatah]... from endangering the West Bank's security as they had done in Gaza Strip."

"Hamas has no intention whatsoever to shed the blood of any Palestinian. What Hamas is doing is just self-defense, he said. The battle of the Palestinians is only with the Israeli enemy."

Earlier Thursday, Palestinian Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti said that the factions would attend an Egyptian-brokered meeting in the Gaza Strip later in the day. The information could not be confirmed independently.

In recent days, Hamas has repeatedly refused to attend Egyptian-brokered truce talks.

Meanwhile, the PLO decision-making body recommended Thursday that Abbas declare a state of emergency and dismantle the Palestinian unity government in response to Hamas' near-takeover of Gaza, an aide said.

Abbas said he would review the recommendations and make decision within hours, said Nabil Amr.

Earlier in the week, Fatah ministers suspended their activities in the government due to the Gaza violence, but stopped short of dismantling the partnership.

The unity government was formed in a bid to stem a previous round of violence, and in the hopes of easing the international boycott imposed in the wake of the Hamas election victory in January 2006. Neither aim was achieved.