News - Middle East: A delegation of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Wednesday in the first such visit in more than a decade as the two sides seek to revitalize their ties.

The deputy chief of the Hamas political bureau in the Gaza Strip, Khalil al-Hayya, who headed the delegation, said the spirit of resistance was resurrected within the Arab world following their historic visit to Damascus.

“God willing, we will turn the old page and look for the future,” al-Hayyh said, adding that Hamas is against any “Zionist or American aggression on Syria.”

He said the decision to return to Syria was taken without consultations with any group, adding that the Gaza-based resistance movement is determined to revive ties with the Syrian government.

After Wednesday's meeting, al-Hayeh said Assad was “keen on Syria’s support to the Palestinian resistance” and hailed it as a “glorious day.”

"We are ending any individual act that was not approved by the Hamas leadership, and we agreed with President al-Assad to turn the page," he remarked.

"Our meeting with al-Assad marked a glorious day today, and through it, we will resume our presence in Syria and working with Damascus in support of our people and Syria's stability," he said.