A high-profile Hamas delegation left the Gaza Strip to Cairo on Saturday, where they plan to meet with Egyptian officials, Gaza security sources said.

Sources who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons told Ma’an that the delegation included senior Hamas leaders Mahmoud al-Zahar, Imad al-Alami, and Khalil al-Hayyah.

They will be joined by exiled Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouq who reportedly arrived in Cairo on Friday night following an invitation from Egyptian general intelligence.

The invitation came after Hamas denied Egyptian accusations of involvement in the murder of Egyptian Attorney-General Hisham Barakat.

The Hamas officials will submit reports in defense against the Egyptian minister of interior’s accusation concerning the June 2015 car bombing that killed Barakat.

Hamas has suffered poor relations with the Egyptian government ever since the democratically-elected Muslim Brotherhood, with whom they were closely allied, was thrown out of power in Egypt in July 2013.

The Egyptian government has in the past accused Hamas of assisting the insurgency that has spread throughout the Sinai Peninsula, although Hamas strongly denies the allegations.

(MEMO)