The Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) has dismissed the idea of installing the international forces along the Gaza-Egypt border.

"I think what is needed is not external forces, it needs a better understanding between internal forces," OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu was quoted by Reuters as telling the reporters in Malaysia on Thursday.

The proposal was originally made by the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in what he described an effort to stop the arms from being smuggled in to the hands of the Palestinian groups.

But the 57-nation OIC, the world's biggest grouping of Islamic nations, said it would oppose the plan.

"I do think that there is a need for a strong leadership on behalf of all political leaders and the situation cannot be allowed to further deteriorate."

"The leadership must immediately show its strength and resolution in implementing the necessary action," he said.

More than 80 people, mostly gunmen but also children and other civilians, have been killed since Saturday in the bloodiest violence between Hamas and Fatah factions.

"The movement would regard those forces as occupation forces no different to the Israeli occupation, regardless of their nationality," Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas official, said.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also raised the possibility of "an international presence" during a lunch with UN Security Council members.

He said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had asked him to consider the international involvement during a telephone call on Tuesday.

MRJ/HAR