Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas said today that he expects to go to the Gaza Strip "within four days" to try to end a more than three-year split with the Islamic Hamas movement that rules the territory.
Mr Abbas made the comments to the Palestinian National Council in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
In a speech in Gaza yesterday, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh invited Mr Abbas to the enclave, which the West Bank-based president has not visited since its seizure by the Islamist group in 2007, to launch a "comprehensive dialogue" on unity.
"I am ready to go to Gaza tomorrow in order to end the division," Mr Abbas said, without mentioning Haniyeh's invitation, said in an address to the Palestine Liberation Organisation's central council.
Mr Abbas said he hoped to form "a government of independent national figures and to agree to parliamentary and presidential elections . . . within six months or as soon as possible".
In a statement, Hamas said: "Haniyeh is discussing with his advisers, members of his government, Hamas leaders and other factions a mechanism to welcome the President and end division".
The use of the term "president" in the statement appeared to mark a softening in Hamas's attitude towards Mr Abbas.
Hamas contends Mr Abbas's presidency is no longer legitimate because no Palestinian elections have been held since 2006. In his speech, Mr Abbas also appeared to take a more conciliatory tone towards Hamas, saying he recognised his own term had expired and also that of parliament, where Hamas has a majority.
Agencies