Hamas announced Thursday that Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Qandil will visit the Gaza Strip on Friday.

The Egyptian leadership "informed us that Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Qandil and several Egyptian ministers will visit the Gaza Strip on Friday," said Taher al-Nouno, spokesman of the de facto Hamas government in Gaza.

"We welcome this visit," al-Nouno said in a brief press statement emailed to reporters, "We highly appreciate his decision to visit the Gaza Strip in these circumstances."

The Gaza Strip is witnessing heavy mutual attacks between the Israeli army and Gaza militants led by Hamas armed wing, where so far 15 Palestinians have been killed and more than 140 wounded.

Meanwhile, a source in the Hamas government who spoke on condition of anonymity told Xinhua that Hamas "is highly appreciating the decision and considers it as a positive Egyptian step."

"This visit will be a positive step towards forming a unified Arab position towards the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and stopping it immediately," the source said.

The source also asserted that "there is an Egyptian move to back the Palestinian resistance and stop the ongoing tension in the Gaza Strip."

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) declared Wednesday evening the commencement of "Operation Pillar of Defense" in the Hamas- controlled Gaza Strip, starting with the targeted killing of Hamas military wing chief Ahmed al-Jaabari, as well as a series of air strikes.

Earlier Thursday, Hamas spokesman in Gaza Sami Abu Zuhri told a news conference that Hamas refuses to comment on reports that there are efforts to restore calm between Hamas and Israel.

"The ongoing battle in the Gaza Strip will decide new characteristics in the nature of the conflict with the Israeli occupation, which doesn't have a decision to end this battle because it is linked to the price it will pay," the spokesman said.