A Hamas delegation set to head to Cairo for talks

May 27, 2007, 9:11 GMT

Damascus - A senior Hamas official said Sunday that a high- level delegation of the Islamic Hamas movement would visit Cairo for talks on developments in the Palestinian arena and mounting Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.

The visit which would take place within the next few days was in response to an invitation from the Egyptian government.

In a statement faxed to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa in Damascus, Mohammad Nazal, member of Hamas' political bureau, said the delegation was headed by Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas' political bureau.

Palestinian sources in Damascus confirmed that a delegation from the Fatah faction, led by Rohi Fatouh, had headed to Cairo, to conduct similar talks with Egyptian officials.

The sources said the Egyptian government has invited the Democratic and Popular Fronts for the Liberation of Palestine, as well as the Islamic Jihad, to conduct bilateral talks in Cairo.

They said invitations would be sent to other Palestinian factions to convene a meeting gathering all groups in light of the results of the current meetings that would last for 10 days.