The head of Fatah's parliamentary bloc, Palestinian Legislative Council member Azzam Al-Ahmad, said on Thursday he expected his party would finally sign a unity agreement with Hamas on 25 October in Cairo.

"Egypt informed President [Mahmoud] Abbas that he would invite each Palestinian faction to Cairo on 24 October," he said, adding, "The agreement will be signed on 25 October."

Al-Ahmad, who is also a member of Fatah's Central Committee, made the announcement in Ramallah following a meeting with Norman Bech, a representative from Germany's parliament. The meeting was attended by other Fatah PLC members.

"A celebration will be organized the next day, which will be attended by Arab League officials and various ministers of foreign affairs, in addition to other international parties," he added.

Concerning negotiations with Israel and Wednesday's visit by US envoy George Mitchell, Al-Ahmad said the "Fatah movement and the Palestinian leadership will not accept negotiations with the Israelis without a settlement freeze."

He said the issue was an Israeli commitment under the Road Map and that "the peace process requires a clear basis, which is a two-state solution and the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital."