Cairo, July 18: A senior Islamic Hamas movement delegation is in the Egyptian capital city of Cairo to hold reconciliation talks with rival Fatah movement.
The delegation, led by senior leader Khalil al-Hayya, left the blockaded Gaza Strip to Cairo on Friday, Xinhua reported.
Hamas leader Mohamed Nasser said in a press statement that Saturday’s meeting will evaluate the previous rounds of dialogue between the two sides, adding “they will discuss issues related to political arrests in the West Bank and prepare for the upcoming round of dialogue due on July 25.”
The visit comes hours after the Palestinian Authority’s security forces detained at least 14 members of Hamas in the West Bank cities of Jenin, Ariha (Jericho), Nablus, Ramallah as well as Tulkarem.
Leaders of 13 Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, have hold intensive internal dialogue in Cairo since March, aiming at reaching an agreement on forming a unity government and setting up a date for elections.
Meanwhile, top Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar said during a Friday prayers’ speech in a central Gaza Strip mosque that his movement had unveiled a military plan aimed at killing Hamas leaders in Gaza and blowing up the inter-dialogue.
“We reject the return of the (pro-Fatah) preventive security forces to act in the Gaza Strip under any agreements or circumstances,” said al-Zahar, who said “the previous six rounds of dialogue with Fatah held in Cairo were so painful.”
However, al-Zahar said his movement will continue ruling the Gaza Strip “until the reconciliation agreement is reached to end the current political rift and bring the situation back on its track.”
Tensions between Hamas and Fatah began after Hamas’ victory in the 2006 parliamentary elections. Following the elections, Mahmoud Abbas dissolved the democratically elected Hamas government and appointed a Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in the West Bank.
—–Agencies