Palestinian security forces started an investigation Monday into the death of a Hamas activist who was allegedly died of torture in the West Bank city of Hebron, a spokesman said, Xinhua reported.
"An investigation panel was formed to look into the circumstances in which the detainee died," said Adnan al-Demiri, spokesman for the Palestinian National Authority's (PNA) security services.
Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, said that Haitham Amr, 28, was killed as a result of heavy torture at the hands of general intelligence members since he was arrested on Friday.
However, security sources earlier said that Amr jumped from the second floor of the detention facility in a bid to escape but was seriously injured and died later in the hospital.
Hamas and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party have been cracking down against their political opponents, Hamas supporters in the West Bank and Fatah members in the Gaza Strip, since Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and seized control of Gaza in June 2007.
Meanwhile, Hamas said the Fatah-led forces arrested 14 of its members in the West Bank in the past 24 hours. In a statement sent to the media, Hamas said the arrests continued despite a fresh agreement that the two sides should end the politically-motivated detentions.