Abdul-Aziz Dwaik, speaker of Hamas-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council, said in a press statement that efforts to reconcile the two movements "are getting complicated by the day and hopes to end the internal split are diminishing."

The official questioned the possibility of reaching a deal that will reunify parts of the Palestinian territories in the current situation.

Fatah and Hamas have been at odds since 2007 following the Islamic movement's violent takeover of the Gaza Strip and the routing of pro-Abbas forces which now hold sway in the West Bank.

Dwaik said he attributed the failure of national reconciliation to "an Israeli veto which blocks the ending of Palestinian split."

A senior Fatah official last Monday urged Hamas to return to national reconciliation talks to prevent Israel from launching another offensive on Gaza Strip.

Sa'eb Erekat, a member of Fatah Central Committee, said in a press statement that "the reconciliation has become pressing and important, especially with Israel's recent threats to launch a new war on Gaza."