His Majesty King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Sunday warned against grave consequences of internal Palestinian fighting and its adverse effects on the Palestinians and their cause.

During talks in Cairo, the King and Mubarak urged calm, self-restraint and an end to the confrontations.

Hamas fighters' efforts to break up anti-government protests Sunday sparked running street battles across the Gaza Strip that killed eight people in the worst internal Palestinian violence since Hamas took power, according to the Associated Press.

The King and the Egyptian president called on Palestinian factions to help preserve national unity and safeguard Palestinian interests, including the right to establish an independent state.

The two leaders said they backed Palestinian efforts to form a national unity government, which would adopt a unified stand on the peace process.

King Abdullah and Mubarak discussed means to revive the peace process and resume talks between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

They urged the international community to resume channeling economic aid to the Palestinians, who were undergoing harsh conditions.

The Jordan Times