The Hamas de facto government in Gaza seeks direct ties with the United States government. According to the Arab newspaper A-Sharq Al-Awsat, Hamas conveyed the message to a delegation of US political activists and members of academe, and asked them to relay it to President Barack Obama's administration. 

Hamas's message included a request that the US drop its opposition to the idea of a reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. The US sees Hamas as a terrorist group while accepting its rival Fatah as a legitimate political movement.

At roughly the same time that Hamas met with the US delegation, a terror squad headed for Israel from Gaza was intercepted by IDF forces Friday.

The IDF released photographs from the scene of the incident that show the weapons found on the terrorists and provide proof that the terrorists were on their way to carry out an attack. Gaza-based sources had tried to claim that the two were teenagers attempting to cross the border to look for work.

IDF Spokesman's Unit photograph shows vests, armaments carried by terrorists.