JERUSALEM, August 4, 2008 (AFP) - Israel said on Monday it will transfer to the West Bank Fatah members who had fled the Gaza Strip amid concern that those who had already returned to the Hamas-ruled territory were in mortal danger.

The announcement reversed a previous decision that more than 200 members of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's party who had fled Gaza into Israel on Saturday should be returned there and not transferred to the West Bank.

The secular Fatah members had fled Gaza following a day of deadly clashes with their bitter Islamist Hamas rivals.

Hamas violently seized control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, routing forces loyal to Abbas whose authority is today limited to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad agreed that the fugitives would be transferred to the West Bank town of Jericho, a senior Israeli security official told AFP.

More than 20 fugitives including Ahmed Helis, the head of a powerful pro-Fatah clan, who were hospitalised for wounds inflicted in the fighting, will remain in Israel until they recover, a defence ministry statement said.

Others were being held and questioned by the Israeli army, a spokesman said.

Around 35 Fatah members were sent back to Gaza on Sunday, and several were immediately detained for questioning by Hamas-run security forces.

'Israeli authorities halted the process, however, as they received information that they were being arrested by Hamas and that their lives were in immediate danger,' the Israeli statement said.

Hamas police spokesman Islam Shahwan said that of the 35, 10 were arrested and the others fled.

Israel's about-turn also followed an urgent appeal to the Supreme Court by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, which said the Fatah members would be at mortal risk if returned to Gaza.

In its reply, the state said that Monday's decision applied to all of the fugitives expect for several Palestinians who have been detained by Israel's internal security services and those who wish to return to Gaza.

According to a senior official in Ramallah, Israeli authorities have already given the green light for some 30 fugitives to cross to the West Bank.

The others still have to be questioned by the military before being cleared to travel to the West Bank. Those not allowed to go will be sent to Egypt instead, the official said.

'Following meetings held throughout the day by the Israel Defence Forces (army) and the security establishment, the IDF is preparing to transfer the rescued Fatah operatives' to the West Bank, the Israeli statement said.

'Israel and the IDF, both of whom operate according to humanitarian values in order to save lives, took action both on Sunday and again today, when a danger to the men's lives became apparent.'

Abbas on Saturday asked that the Palestinians be allowed to cross into Israel after several people -- mainly Fatah members -- were killed in clashes with Hamas forces seeking to arrest suspects in a July 25 bombing.

Hamas claimed that Fatah was behind the beachside blast that killed five senior Hamas militants and a little girl.

Shahwan said nine people, including two police officers, were killed in Saturday's clashes and 90 more were wounded. Two hundred people were arrested, of whom 100 have since been released, he said.

Earlier Palestinian human rights groups gave the toll as 11 dead.