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Former Palestinian premier makes first visit to Gaza since 2007

Xinhua, December 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

Former Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Salam Fayyad arrived here Wednesday on his first visit to Gaza since Hamas took control over the coastal enclave in mid-2007.

Fayyad came to Gaza at the invitation of the local "House of Wisdom" Institution for Conflict Resolution and Consultation.

During his two-day visit, Fayyad will address representatives of the civil society in a lecture and discuss with them ways to ending the Palestinian split, said Ahmed Yousef, a Hamas official who heads the "House of Wisdom."

Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri told Xinhua that Fayyad's visit to Gaza is a personal one, stressing that Hamas is not officially involved.

There will be no official meetings between Hamas leaders and Fayyad during the visit, Zuhri said.

Fayyad, a veteran economist, chaired three caretaking governments since the violent takeover by Hamas of the Gaza Strip in 2007 before resigning in 2013.

Hamas has in the past accused Fayyad of besieging the Gaza Strip since the party ruled the costal enclave after rounds of fighting with PNA loyalists. Endit