Special report: Internal situation in Palestine

    GAZA, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials from Hamas and Fatah would head for Syria soon to meet with exiled leaders of Palestinian factions on formation of a national unity government, the Al-Ayyam newspaper reported on Wednesday.

    Prime Minister Ismail Haneya of Hamas and former Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei of Fatah would head the delegation.

    The visit comes after Hamas and Fatah agreed on replacing the Hamas-led government with a broader unity one. Progress has been made on the issue and Palestinian officials expect the new government to be declared by the end of November.

    Hamas and Fatah officials will set a date to reform the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in accordance with an agreement reached in 2005 and known as Cairo dialogue. Hamas had said it would not join the PLO unless the PLO is reformed.

    Meanwhile, the newspaper quoted sources as saying that President Mahmoud Abbas would arrive in Gaza Thursday to join a committee, which consists of members of Hamas and Fatah, to discuss ways of sharing portfolios of the new government.

    The sources also said legal procedures to dismiss the Hamas-led government were likely to begin next week, after which a new prime minister would be officially asked to form the government.

    However, the sources said that the new government would not be announced "until the Israeli government releases all imprisoned Hamas ministers and lawmakers," adding a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians was needed for this step.