Palestinian factions Hamas and Islamic Jihad (Holy War) will visit Egypt next week to continue the talks on ceasefire deal with Israel under Egyptian mediation, an Islamic Jihad leader said on Saturday.

Khaled al-Batsh told reporters that a delegation from his movement visited Al-Arish city in Sinai last week as part of preparations for the talks which will focus on the calmness, internal Palestinian dialogue, lifting the siege and reopening crossings into Gaza Strip.

Israel imposed a strict blockade on the Gaza Strip since last June when Hamas took over the territory from President Mahmoud Abbas' forces. In addition to the siege, Israel stepped up military operations in the Hamas-ruled coastal Strip.

Al-Batsh said there have been talks on ceasefire "but the Islamic Jihad can accept it only when the occupation stops its crimes and becomes ready to give the Palestinians their rights."

Meanwhile, al-Batsh called on Hamas and Abbas' Fatah movement to end their differences which widened after Hamas took over Gaza.

"Any side that insists on not starting the dialogue brings harm against the Palestinian people, their cause and rights," he said.

On Thursday, a delegation from Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements visited Egypt for talks on the security situation along the Egypt-Gaza border following Israel's recent military actions in Gaza.

Their talks also dwelt on how to reach a truce with Israel in order to protect innocent Palestinians in Gaza. Egypt tried to persuade Hamas to accept a truce that would halt rocket attacks on Israel in an effort to end Gaza violence and salvage Middle East peace talks.

(Xinhua News Agency March 9, 2008)