Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal will soon be visiting the Gaza Strip, Xinhua reported June 15, quoting unidentified sources within the Palestinian Islamist movement. According to the report, the visit will follow Meshaal's meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Cairo, scheduled for June 21. The source was quoted saying Gaza "is a liberated Palestinian territory, and it is part of Palestine, and it is the right of every Palestinian to visit it when the time is proper and possible," but declined to reveal further details on the visit in terms of the composition of Meshaal's delegation or the duration of his visit. At this stage it is difficult to say whether the Hamas leader, who lives in Damascus, will be making such a visit. If true, it would be a major development, given that it would be Meshaal's first visit to the Palestinian territory under the control of the movement he leads. Meshaal was born in the West Bank, grew up in Kuwait and has never been to Gaza. Since becoming involved with Hamas, he, along with the group's political bureau, has lived in exile — first in Jordan, then briefly in Qatar, and for over a decade now in Syria. That said, his deputy, Musa Abu Marzook, visited Gaza two years ago. If this visit takes place it will be the result of coordination with Egypt's new military government and Israel agreeing to allow Meshaal to make the journey. The reported trip also underscores the shift taking place within Hamas in terms of its efforts to reconcile with rival secular movement Fatah as well as the improved relations with Cairo. If the trip occurs, it will indicate Hamas' willingness to enter the political mainstream — despite significant resistance from within the movement.