Yasser Abed Rabbo, who is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), told a local radio that Hamas was gradually getting closer toward accepting the proposal.

The PLO, widely seen as the sole representative of the Palestinians, is an umbrella grouping key Palestinian factions including Abbas' Fatah movement. Hamas is not a member.

Abed Rabbo also said that Hamas had agreed to almost all the points in the proposal without big modifications, but talks were still underway, focusing now on the formation of a new national unity government.

"The Hamas-led government has pledged to change its political speech, but this is not enough because we want to see a new government with a new governing platform," he added.

Abbas has set July 26 for a referendum on the statehood proposal if Palestinian factions fail to reach consensus on it.

The proposal, also called the prisoners' document for it was drafted by prominent Palestinian leaders jailed by Israel, espouses the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on land seized by Israel in 1967.

It also calls for the establishment of a national unity government and a negotiated peace with Israel.

The platform is widely seen as implicitly recognizing the Jewish state.

Hamas, sworn to Israel's destruct, has so far refused to renounce violence, recognize Israel's right to exist and accept previous Palestinian-Israeli agreements.

The group took power in late March after defeating Fatah in the January parliamentary elections.