Hamas official rules out direct negotiations with Israel
Hamas's former Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniya, has reportedly ruled out the possibility of any direct talks between the Islamic Palestinian group and Israel.
He made the statement while addressing a public gathering in the Gaza strait on Saturday and asked the Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas to "review" his own strategy of holding talks with Israel, reported News 24.
Israel has declared Hamas a "terrorist" organization and the two sides have never had any direct contact. The ongoing peace negotiations over Gaza conflict are being mediated by Cairo.