Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas met Hamas leaders on Monday for talks over the formation of a new government to be formed by the Islamic group, official sources said.

Abbas was expected to meet with Ismail Haneya, a senior Hamas leader based in the Gaza Strip, who is widely expected to lead the next cabinet as prime minister, the sources said.

Hamas leaders have embarked on talks with other Palestinian factions on the formation of a new cabinet after a Hamas-dominated parliament was sworn in on Saturday.

Hamas had the mandate to form the new cabinet after it swept the Jan. 25 parliamentary elections by garnering 74 seats in the 132-seat Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).

Source: Xinhua