Gaza, Aug 13 (Xinhua) Hamas will deal 'positively' with the new peace plan by the US but only if a separate Palestinian state is recognized, an aide to the Islamic movement's leader Ismail Haneya said Thursday.

'We have an initial readiness to accept it and deal with it positively but we will also reject it if it doesn't include an American recognition of Palestinian rights,' said Yousef Rizka, Haneya's political advisor.

'The plan should endorse a Palestinian statehood with Jerusalem as its capital. Hamas will take an indepth study of the plan when it is made public,' Rizka told Xinhua.

Recent media reports have said that Obama was drafting a plan to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. According to the plan, the West will step up its boycott of Hamas if the Islamic group does not announce a clear position regarding the plan.