GAZA, May 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian security forces released a Hamas militant on Tuesday after detaining him for an attempted attack on Jewish settlements in northern Gaza Strip. 

   The Palestinian security forces reportedly tried to prevent three Hamas militants from firing rockets at settlements in northern Gaza on Monday. One Hamas militant was arrested and the other two managed to escape after an exchange of fire. 

   The militant was freed after dialogue between the Palestinian officials and Hamas leaders, security sources said. 

   Hamas militants said they launched attacks in retaliation for the Israeli army killing of an Islamic Jihad militant on Monday near the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem. 

   Meanwhile, Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, rejected the accusation that Hamas violated the truce deal reached among various Palestinian factions in Cairo in March. 

   He also denied that the three Hamas militants were trying to launch homemade rockets at settlements, saying they were visiting their relative in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahya. 

   He added that the security force stopped them in a provocative way, and asked them to drop their guns before detaining one militant and let out the other two. 

   Abu Zuhri warned the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) that any attempt to detain militants would bring the truce to a collapse.

   Chief of preventive security Rashid Abu Shbak urged Palestinian militants groups on Tuesday to stick to the truce with Israel, warning that no one would be allowed to violate the Palestinian national consensus.

   Last Thursday, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas ordered security forces to use "iron fist" if needed to ensure that armed factions keep the truce he declared at a Feb. 8 summit with Israeli premier Ariel Sharon. Enditem