Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

Ismail Haneya (C), one of the Palestinian Hamas leaders, pays a visit to the Hamas security headquarters in Gaza City, July 7, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    GAZA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Deposed Prime Minister of Hamas-led government Ismail Haneya said on Monday that a Hamas delegation from Gaza and abroad would head to Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials on Tuesday.

    Haneya told reporters that the talks between Hamas delegation and senior Egyptian officials would focus on operating Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

    He said the talks would also focus on the inter-Palestinian dialogue and Israeli violations of the truce brokered by Egypt between Israel and Gaza militant groups that took effective on June 19.

    Haneya made the statements during a visit on Monday to the main security headquarters, better known as al-Saraya. Haneya last week also visited President Mahmoud Abbas' headquarters in Gaza.

    "These visits to the security headquarters are regular and would not affect or change the intentions for launching an inter-Palestinian comprehensive dialogue," said Haneya.

    He also said that these security headquarters belong to the Palestinian National Authority, the Palestinian government and the Palestinian people, adding that "we should thank the security people for their efforts to restore order."

    After Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip last summer and routed President Abbas security forces, Abbas sacked Haneya and his national unity government and called what Hamas forces did as "a black coup on the legal leadership."