Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters in Gaza that there was no need for mediation to reconcile Abbas and Hamas, insisting that there was no crisis between the two sides. Earlier, the Saudi daily Al-Watan reported that Egypt, a regional heavyweight and important Mideast peace broker, was mediating between Abbas and Hamas prime minister-designate Ismail Haneya.

In response to the report, Abu Zuhri said, "We appreciate the great role of our Egyptian brothers but we assert that there is no crisis concerning the relations between our movement and President Abbas and thus there is no need for mediation. "Hamas, winning the January Palestinian legislative elections by a landslide, is expected to form a new government within weeks. The group, calling for Israel's destruction, has so far rejected Abbas' calls to open talks with Israel and accept interim peace deals.