A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas denied on Tuesday that there was any " undeclared plan" to topple the Hamas-led government, as pointed out by Prime Minister Ismail Haneya.

The denial from Nabil Abu Rudaina came shortly after Haneya said in a speech that there was a covered plan to oust the government. Haneya also rejected Abbas' call for early legislative and presidential elections in the speech.

"The priority, as President Abbas announced, was forming a national unity government," Abu Rudaina told reporters.

He said that Abbas had made it clear that he would only call for early polls "if all efforts failed to end up with a unity government."

Abu Rudaina stressed that the important thing for the time being was to end armed clashes in the Gaza Strip between Hamas and Fatah.

Meanwhile, Abbas announced Tuesday night that a comprehensive ceasefire reached between Fatah and Hamas would take effect at 23: 00 (2100 GMT) in the Gaza Strip.

Source: Xinhua