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Fatah official: Israel, Hamas in direct talks

A Fatah official has confirmed claims by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about Israel and Hamas holding direct talks, claiming that the two sides are engaged in security cooperation.
Senior Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh gestures as leaves his office as a former Hamas government Prime Minister, in Gaza City June 2, 2014. President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a Palestinian unity government on Monday under a reconciliation deal with Hamas Islamists that led Israel to freeze U.S.-brokered peace talks with the Western-backed leader. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem  (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR3RTWM
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In an interview on Egyptian television Nov. 29, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had a surprise: Israel and Hamas, he related, were engaged in direct contact. When asked for additional details about this astounding revelation, Abbas would only say that the parties were talking directly with each other, and have even reached certain understandings.

Hamas immediately denied the claim. Senior Gaza-based Hamas official Ismail Radwan flatly rejected the assertion, alleging that the president of the Palestinian Authority was spreading false propaganda.

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