Mashaal to Cede Control of Gaza to Abbas

According to Hamas senior official, movement's political chief agrees to hand back control of security agencies and administrative institutions in Gaza to Fatah, as part of efforts to revive dialogue between factions

Hamas political chief Khaled Mashaal said his movement was willing to make far-reaching concessions in order to resolve the conflict with Fatah, London-based newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat reported Tuesday.

As part of these concessions, Hamas would hand back control of security agencies and Palestinian Authority administrative institutions in Gaza to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Mashaal reportedly told officials in Riyadh during a round of talks in the Saudi capital.

Additionally, Hamas would agree to the establishment of a central Palestinian government that would control both Gaza and the West Bank.

Hussein Abu Qweik, a senior Hamas official, told the London paper that these new concessions were aimed at facilitating a renewal of the dialogue between the rivaling Palestinian movements.

According to Abu Qweik, Hamas has already expressed its willingness to cooperate with the other Palestinian factions in order to reorganize the security forces around a "professional and national" basis.

However, he added, Hamas rejected Fatah's call for early elections even before talks could begin.

Syrian officials told al-Sharq al-Awsat that the Hamas delegation's visit to Riyadh was part of comprehensive Arab efforts to bring the internal Palestinian crisis to an end.

Hamas sources also reported that the Egyptian government would hold meetings with representatives from both movements in Cairo in the near future.