Egypt intelligence chief to visit Gaza soon: Hamas

By Moustafa Haboosh

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel will visit the blockaded Gaza Strip soon, Palestinian group Hamas said Sunday.

“The visit of Major General Kamel… will take place in the near future,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Anadolu Agency.

According to the spokesman, Kamel had been scheduled to visit the Palestinian territory last weekend, but the visit was postponed.

Qassem said an Egyptian delegation, which visited Gaza on Thursday, confirmed to Hamas leaders that preparations were underway for Kamel’s visit to the enclave.

The spokesman said Hamas is keen on the success of Egyptian efforts to cement a cease-fire in Gaza as well as ending the Palestinian rift.

Last week, the Egyptian security delegation met with officials from both Hamas -- which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007 -- and rival Palestinian faction Fatah.

Israel has repeatedly threatened to launch a military offensive against Gaza if Palestinians do not stop holding weekly mass demonstrations along the Gaza-Israel buffer zone.

Cairo has mediated a Palestinian national reconciliation and a truce between Israel and Gaza-based resistance groups.