Hamas official denies having crisis with Egypt

A spokesman for the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) on Wednesday denied reports of "silent crisis" between his movement and Egypt over an agreement reached between Hamas and Fatah in Saudi Arabia.

"The Palestinian-Egyptian relations are firm and increasing in accordance with history and can never be turbid," said Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoom in Gaza.

Some media reports have said that a silent crisis has sparked between Hamas and Egypt after the Islamic movement went to Saudi Arabia to sign a power-sharing deal with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement in early February.

"The Egyptian leadership saw Hamas departure to Mecca as a strong strike against years of Egyptian efforts to prevent civil war among the Palestinians," a source told Maan news agency on condition of anonymity.

"Hamas has sold the solution to the Saudi leadership without appreciating Egypt's diplomatic efforts," the source said.

Maan added that the Egyptian leadership fears another strike against its efforts to broker prisoners exchange deal between Hamas and Israel.

Hamas holds Israeli Corporal Gilad Shalit in Gaza and demands the release of some 1,000 Palestinians in exchange for the Israeli soldier.

"The Shalit issue goes through the Egyptian leadership and it is the only mediator in this regard," Barhoom said.

Source: Xinhua