GAZA, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Deputy Chief of Islamic Hamas movement Saleh al-Arouri arrived in the Gaza Strip on Thursday for the first time to discuss internal reconciliation and unity, Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum said.
Barhoum said in a statement that Arouri arrived in the Gaza Strip together with members of Hamas politburo and other movement's leaders from Egyptian capital of Cairo after crossing the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
"The delegation will hold talks with Gaza leaders of Hamas over achieving an internal reconciliation and ending an Israel siege that has been imposed on the Gaza Strip for 12 years," he said.
Arouri, who lives in Turkey, was elected as Hamas deputy chief on March last year following internal election held by Hamas. Ismail Haniyeh, who lives in Gaza, was elected as the movement's politburo chief.
Over the past few days, the delegations of Fatah and Hamas met in Cairo with the Egyptian security intelligence to discuss the possibilities of implementing former reconciliation deal to end the 12-year internal split.
Egypt has been the sponsor of the Palestinian reconciliation talks between the two rival groups since Hamas violently seized control of the Gaza Strip and routed President Mahmoud Abbas' security forces.
