Gaza Strip ? A Palestinian militant with ties to Hamas was killed in a car bomb Friday, unleashing factional unrest that left three others dead and 35 wounded, in the first direct threat to the Islamic group’s new government.

Followers of the militant blamed security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement for the assassination, raising the possibility of wider clashes just two days after Hamas assumed power.

The militant, Abu Yousef Abu Quka, was a senior commander of the Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella group of about 200 gunmen that has been linked to explosions of Israeli tanks and a deadly attack on a U.S. diplomatic convoy in 2003.