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Preparations before Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal makes first ever visit to the Gaza

(7 Dec 2012) Rafah Crossing, Gaza Strip - 7 December 2012 1. Various of crossing decorated with Hamas and Palestinian flags, where Khaled Mashaal is due to arrive from Egypt Khan Younis, Gaza Strip - 7 December 2012 2. Close of Hamas and Palestinian flags 3. Wide of street, poster of Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal visible 4. Various of poster Gaza City, Gaza Strip - 7 December 2012 5. Pan left from people at stadium to model of an M-75 missile 6. Wide of stage showing model M-75 missile and chairs being unloaded from a truck 7. Various of families at the stadium 8. SOUNDBITE: (Arabic) Abu Madhat, Gaza resident: "Of course it's an honour for the people of Gaza, for the elderly and the youth, that Abu Walid (referring to Khaled Mashaal) is coming, especially after such a long period of absence." 9. Wide of preparations STORYLINE: Preparations were under way in the Gaza Strip on Friday ahead of a planned visit by Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal. Mashaal is expected to arrive later on Friday for a three-day tour, centred round Hamas' 25th anniversary rally on Saturday. He'll also visit the homes of two iconic Hamas leaders who were assassinated by Israel: military chief Ahmed Jabari and spiritual leader Sheik Ahmed Yassin. His landmark visit comes two weeks after the bloodiest round of Israel-Gaza fighting in four years, which included the killing of Jabari, as well as hundreds of Israeli airstrikes on Hamas targets, and hundreds of Gaza rockets fired into Israel. Hamas has portrayed itself as the victor because Israel agreed to an Egyptian-brokered truce after eight days, instead of sending in ground troops, as it initially threatened. It will be Mashaal's first ever visit to the Gaza strip - which signals growing regional acceptance of the Islamic militant movement in charge of the once isolated territory and grudging acquiescence by Israel. The Hamas chief has positioned himself as a pragmatist and enjoys the backing of regional heavyweights Egypt, Turkey and Qatar. His visit coincides with the last stretch of secret internal Hamas elections that began seven months ago. Mashaal, who has headed Hamas' decision-making political bureau since 1996, said earlier this year he was not seeking re-election, but some suggested his Gaza visit could signal a change of heart and an attempt to mollify Gaza Hamas hardliners with whom he clashed months ago. In Gaza City, local residents took pictures of a stage that had been set up for the anniversary rally and which included a 13-metre-high (43-foot-high) replica of an M-75 missile. "Of course it's an honour for the people of Gaza, for the elderly and the youth, that Abu Walid (referring to Khaled Mashaal) is coming," said Abu Madhat, a local Gaza resident, "especially after such a long period of absence." Mashaal, whose family left the West Bank when he was a child, grew up in Kuwait and moved to Qatar this year after abandoning his longtime base in Syria. Mashaal has led Hamas since 1996, helping to build the Iranian-backed movement into a potent force. Under his leadership, Hamas carried out numerous suicide bombings and other attacks on buses, cafes and other public places that killed hundreds of Israelis during a Palestinian uprising a decade ago. The group has been branded a terrorist organisation by Israel, the U.S. and the European Union. He also survived an Israeli assassination attack in Jordan in 1997. Until recently, he was based in Syria but after civil war broke out there, he relocated to Qatar. Hamas overtook Gaza from forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party in 2007. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...