"If the Palestinian Authority tries to confiscate our weapons they will force Islamic Jihad and Hamas to cancel the hudna (truce)," said a joint statement received here.

"If the Palestinian Authority tries to confiscate our weapons the responsibility for the results lies with the Palestinian Authority."

Hamas and Islamic Jihad both agreed to a three-month halt to anti-Israeli attacks last month, although the truce came attached with a raft of conditions.

Palestinian authorities have come under pressure to crack down and disarm militant groups although security sources deny that any campaign of disarmament has begun.

"If the Palestinian security department decides to confiscate the resistance weapons ... this is a red line which we cannot ever cross," the statement added.

Hamas political leader Abdul Aziz al-Rantissi later told AFP that none of its weapons had so far been confiscated, adding: "There is an agreement between us and the Palestinian Authority for there to be no confiscation."

Mohammed al-Hindi, a leader of Islamic Jihad, also told AFP that none of its weapons had been seized.

"This statement is because the occupation is still in our land," he added.

Colonel Rashid Abushbakk, head of Preventive Security in Gaza, insisted the Palestinian Authority was not carrying out any measures likely to endanger the truce.

"The Palestinian Authority is working to impose control on the areas which are under our control but this does not conflict with the agreements with the Palestinian factions under hudna," he told AFP.

"It is our right to continue in our activities to protect security and general situation."

WAR.WIRE