Hamas denies Egypt to send delegation to Gaza

Islamic Hamas movement on Tuesday denied reports that Egypt would send a delegation to the Gaza Strip to look into prospects of signing a national Palestinian reconciliation deal.

"These reports are untrue and Hamas hasn't been informed about such visits," Ayman Taha, a Hamas spokesman, told Xinhua.

The reports, published by Qudsnet, an independent local news agency, said the delegation would arrive at the Hamas-controlled Gaza on Tuesday.

Egypt, which hosted national Palestinian dialogue in 2009, halted its efforts to reconcile Hamas and Fatah after the Islamic movement rejected an Egyptian-drafted plan to implement the agreement.

However, Mahmoud Zahar, a Gaza-based Hamas leader, told reporters on Sunday that he believes signing the reconciliation deal is needed these days, especially prior to the Arab League (AL) summit in Libya on March 27 so the Palestinian would go united to the meeting.

The reconciliation would end political split between Gaza and the Fatah-governed West Bank. Hamas seized Gaza by force in 2007 after routing pro-Abbas forces and ousted his Fatah movement.

Source: Xinhua