Hamas insisted yesterday that talks to form a Palestinian unity government were not at a "dead end" and said that the impasse could be resolved with President Mahmoud Abbas within two weeks.
Negotiations on forming a coalition that Palestinians hope will lift a Western aid embargo have foundered over whether the new government will recognize Israel.
Abbas wants a political platform honoring interim peace deals with the Jewish state, which he hopes will satisfy the West.
Hamas has sought vague wording that would not contradict the Islamist group's charter calling for Israel's destruction.
The president planned to travel to the Gaza Strip today to meet Hamas leaders, an aide said.
Ghazi Hamad, spokesman for the current Hamas-led government, said there was a good chance of forming a unity Cabinet.
"We have not reached a dead end," Hamad, speaking in Hebrew, said on Israel's Army Radio. "Perhaps if we start ... discussing the details today -- Cabinet seats -- then maybe we will resolve all the problems within a week or two."
Abbas said over the weekend that unity government talks had reached "point zero" and must start from scratch.
The West imposed the aid embargo when Hamas came to power in March to pressure the group to meet three conditions: recognize Israel, renounce violence and abide by interim peace deals.
Hamad reiterated that Hamas would not oppose Abbas holding peace negotiations with Israel. The movement has said any deals would need to be put to parliament, where Hamas has a majority after trouncing Abbas' Fatah movement in January elections.
The moderate Abbas has accused Hamas of reneging on an agreement reached earlier this month on the political program for the unity government. Hamas has denied the allegations.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly last Thursday, Abbas said that "any future Palestinian government" would honor all previous interim peace accords with Israel.
Hamas later said it would not join any unity government that recognized Israel.
A total breakdown in talks could trigger fighting between rival armed factions loyal to Hamas and Fatah and worsen poverty that has deepened since the aid embargo took effect.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert denied yesterday that he met in secret with a leading Saudi official.
"I did not meet with the Saudi king and I didn't meet with any official to warrant a sensation in the media," Olmert told the Yediot Ahronot daily.
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