Senior Fatah official in rare visit to Hamas-run Gaza

Nabil Shaath, a member of the central committee of the secular Fatah, met with Khalil al-Hayya, a senior official from the Islamist Hamas, which seized Gaza in June 2007 after a week of vicious street battles with Fatah loyalists.

"I want to see the citizens and their situation in Gaza. I am coming to part of the (Palestinian) homeland and I don't need a visa," he told reporters after passing through the Erez border crossing from Israel.

"I am in contact with my brothers in Hamas and all the Palestinian factions, and all of them know about this visit. I am not on a secret mission.

"I hope this visit will create a better climate to encourage our brothers in Hamas to sign the Egyptian document," he said, referring to a unity deal proposed by Cairo that was signed by Fatah in October.

Hamas has refused to sign the proposed unity deal unless it is amended to reflect what the group says were previous understandings reached with Fatah.

Both Egypt and Fatah have said the deal is final.