Senior representatives of the Hamas terrorist organization arrived in Egypt on Tuesday, as political violence and internecine tensions in Hamas-controlled Gaza continue. Senior Hamas spokespeople denied that the visit is intended to initiate talks with Palestinian Authority Chairman and Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas, who is also in Cairo.
According to sources in the PA and Egypt, the Hamas delegation includes terror chiefs from Gaza and elsewhere, such as Damascus-based Hamas political leader Musa Abu Marzook.
Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud A-Zahar told the Bethlehem-based PA news agency Ma'an that "the meeting is related to old issues," such as the ceasefire with Israel, the sealed Rafiach Crossing between Gaza and Egypt, and the captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, held for two years by PA terrorists. Egypt is said to be brokering an exchange that would ransom Shalit from his captors. "Meeting with Abbas is not scheduled in the agenda," A-Zahar declared, "neither is any other meeting with Fatah."
Abbas, meanwhile, is in Cairo for talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. During a press conference, he said that Egypt will host a meeting among all PA factions in coming days. He did not indicate if Tuesday's visit by the Hamas delegation was a prelude to such a dialogue.
While Abbas tries to lower the flame in the recent clashes with Hamas, such as by expressing his grief over a 
Abbas tries to lower the flame in the recent clashes with Hamas.
weekend car bombing that killed six people in Gaza, a senior Fatah legislator went in the opposite direction. Speaking with the London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Azzam Al-Ahmed said the PA was considering declaring the Gaza region "rebel-held" territory. "It is the right of a legitimate government to use force to put down a rebellion," Al-Ahmed said.
Meanwhile, speaking with Ma'an, A-Zahar justified detentions of Fatah members and confiscation of their property in Gaza: "I'm sure if you ask the interior ministry and public prosecutor of the Gaza Strip they will tell you that such practices are 'legal procedures'."
On Monday, Hamas banned three major PA dailies affiliated with Fatah, Al-Quds, Al-Ayyam and Al-Hayat Al-Jadida. On Saturday, the offices of the Abbas-controlled PA's WAFA news agency in Gaza were ransacked by Hamas gunmen, with computers and files stolen.