CAIRO - Ismail Haniyeh met Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi on Thursday in an official visit that signalled a big shift in Cairo's stance toward Hamas after the election of a Muslim Brotherhood head of state.

Mohammed Awad, the minister of foreign affairs in the Gaza government, told Ma’an that the Egyptian president and Hamas premier discussed the Palestinian cause, the Gaza blockade and reconciliation.

"The meeting was positive," Awwad said. The president promised Hamas to allow more facilities for people in Gaza Strip, he said.

Haniyeh expressed his willingness to cooperate with Egypt in various fields in order to contribute in solving any problem, stressing that Sinai would remain an Egyptian land, not for resettling Palestinians.

He said reconciliation with Fatah must be completed but in a fair way.