Ramallah - A senior official with the Palestinian Fatah movement in the West Bank confirmed on Thursday that his organization has been holding secret talks with its rival, the Islamic Hamas movement, in the past few weeks.

Jibril Rajoub, a member of the Fatah revolutionary council and a security adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said in a statement that he met with Hamas leaders at Hamas's behest.

Local media reports revealed earlier Thursday that Rajoub held talks with Hamas leaders, as well as leaders of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood movement. The meetings were held away from the mass media.

Additionally, at the conclusion of a four-day visit to India, Abbas spoke of positive signals from separate talks brokered by Egypt with Palestinian factions.

Egypt has been holding talks with leaders of different Palestinian factions in a bid to end political separation between the Hamas- controlled Gaza Strip and the Palestinian National Authority- ruled West Bank. (dpa)