Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas said today he remained hopeful a unity government would be established, brushing aside President Mahmoud Abbas's assertion that talks were starting from scratch.
"We will resume the consultations over the formation of a national unity government and I believe that we have gone a long way down the road (toward an agreement)," Mr Haniyeh told reporters in Gaza.
"There is a real hope that it will succeed."