A senior Hamas official said Wednesday that the Islamic militant group has been holding secret political talks with five European Union member-states in recent months.
The EU officially maintains that it will not deal with Hamas unless the group renounces violence and recognizes Israel.
Osama Hamdan, who handles foreign relations for Hamas, told The Associated Press that talks with European government officials focus on the Hamas positions toward Israel and paralyzed Mideast peace efforts.
Europe and the US have been rethinking Mideast policy since the Arab Spring uprisings toppled several pro-Western regimes in favor of Islamists.
Hamdan would not name the countries. Three Hamas officials in Hamas-ruled Gaza said Britain, France and Holland are among them.
There was no immediate comment from EU countries.