Hamas says Fatah members can return to Gaza

[Jefferson23]

GAZA CITY (AFP) -- Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya reached out to West Bank rivals Fatah on Monday, saying its members would be allowed back into Gaza, in efforts to promote Palestinian reconciliation.

"The (Hamas) government will allow all Fatah members who are from Gaza and who left the Strip (in 2007) to return, without any preconditions," apart from those accused of killing Hamas members during intense factional fighting that year, Haniya said.

Speaking to reporters after a visit to the Hamas interior ministry in Gaza City, he added the authorities would "release a small number of Fatah members who are imprisoned (in Gaza) for security reasons."

Fatah MPs, who are based in the West Bank, would also be allowed to visit Gaza, Haniya added.

remainder: http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=663121

[Jefferson23]

1. Hamas, Fatah resume talks secretly

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Hamas and Fatah have secretly resumed reconciliation talks in an attempt to finalize an agreement, a Fatah spokesman said on Monday.

Ahmad Assaf said in a statement received by Ma'an that Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad, who is in charge of reconciliation talks, spoke on Sunday with his Hamas counterpart Mousa Abu Marzouq.

The two followed up on discussions that began in Doha between al-Ahmad and Hamas chief-in-exile Khalid Mashaal.

Assaf's statement emerged following news reports claiming that Hamas and Fatah have already reached agreement on a unity government. He made it clear that no agreement had yet been reached as of yet, while stressing that efforts are ongoing.

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