Hamas, Egyptian mediators reach consensus: Report

Cairo: Egyptian mediators and Hamas have reached a consensus on several issues regarding a potential ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, Egyptian media reported on Saturday.

Egypt’s Al-Qahera News TV channel quoted an unnamed senior official as saying that a Hamas delegation had arrived in Cairo to discuss the terms of an Egypt-proposed initiative for a ceasefire with Israel, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, two Egyptian sources told Xinhua, on condition of anonymity, that the Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Saturday “with the intention of concluding and implementing a truce agreement with Israel.”

The Hamas delegation’s visit came after the Gaza-ruling movement got Egypt’s guarantees that the deal could lead to a ceasefire in the besieged enclave, the sources said.

Egypt has warned Hamas of the potential escalation of tensions in Gaza should they fail to reach an agreement, according to the sources.

It has been reported that William Burns, director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), is scheduled to visit Egypt. The visit is part of the efforts by the tripartite guarantors of the ceasefire deal, which include Egypt, the United States, and Qatar.

Israel launched a large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza on October 7, 2023, following Hamas’s surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people.

The ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip have killed more than 34,600 Palestinians, and wounded over 77,800 others, according to Gaza health authorities. The attacks also led to massive destruction of homes and infrastructure in Gaza.  (IANS)

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