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The Hamas delegation included Khalil al-Haya and Fathi Hamad and they met with political figures close to Dahlan, including Samir al-Mashrawi, described as Dahlan’s second in command, Sufian Abu Zaida and Osama al-Farra.

The meeting comes as continuing attempts for Palestinian reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah - headed by Dahlan’s arch rival Mahmoud Abbas - has stalled.

A senior source in the Hamas movement said Hamas has decreased its cooperation with Dahlan to avoid provoking the Palestinian Authority, who have declared Dahlan corrupt and effectively exiled him from the country.

Dahlan is close the Egyptian regime, and has been liaising between Hamas and Egyptian authorities, particularly on the issue of Rafah crossing.

The source described the situation in Gaza as deteriorating due to the reduction in co-operation.

Rival Palestinian political factions Hamas and Fatah signed a landmark reconciliation agreement in October, whereby control of the Gaza would be handed over to a Fatah-led unity government. However the deal has since encountered setbacks and the agreed Gaza handover date was not recognised by either party.

The Palestinian Authority has been harshly criticised for its handling of the Gazan electricity crisis, labelled by a United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as political power play between the PA and Hamas, at the expense of its citizens.