Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    GAZA, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hamas on Wednesday denied reports that the Palestinian factions will head for Cairo next week to meet Egyptian officials and discuss the resumption of inter-Palestinian dialogue.

    Ismail al-Ashqar, a Hamas legislator, said there was nothing new except the three questions that Egypt sent to the factions earlier. The questions were about the factions' views of restoring Palestinian unity and end the political split.

    Meanwhile, a senior Islamic Hamas official said Wednesday that his movement hasn't yet received an Egyptian invitation to join the inter-Palestinian-Palestinian dialogue in Cairo next week.

    "We haven't received yet any invitation. Hamas has just recently sent a reply to three Egyptian questions, which were sent to all Palestinian factions, related to the dialogue," said Sallahel Bardaweel, spokesman of Hamas parliamentary block.

    On Monday, reports said that the factions will head for Egypt and hold bilateral meetings with the Egyptian officials. After theseparate meetings, Egypt will invite the factions into Cairo to launch the dialogue.

    Al-Ashqar said Hamas wants the dialogue to be open without any preconditions or veto. He also said that any solution should apply to the Hamas-controlled Gaza and the Fatah-run West Bank.

    Last year, the inter-Palestinian dialogue was stopped when Hamas forces took over Gaza Strip by force, driving out the Palestinian Authority's (PA) forces to the West Bank.

    President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah then consolidated his power in the West Bank, while Hamas tightened its grip on Gaza despite being outlawed by Abbas.