U.S. delegation arrives in Gaza for talks with Hamas

A high-ranking U.S. delegation arrived in the Gaza Strip on Friday to hold talks with Hamas movement, which rules the enclave, sources in the deposed government of Hamas said.

The sources said that the seven-member delegation, which represents the National Institute for International Reconciliation crossed into the blockaded enclave through Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

The delegation will hold talks with Hamas officials in the frame to congregate views between the Palestinian factions and achieve an inter-Palestinian reconciliation between the rival Palestinian groups, said the sources.

The U.S. delegation, which will also look at the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, will return to Egypt through Rafah crossing on Saturday.

The region, which was seized by Hamas in 2007, has been witnessing intensive visits of senior and high-ranking foreign delegations since the end of the early last year's Israeli "Cast Lead" operation that lasted for three weeks.

Source: Xinhua