Egypt again hosts talks with Hamas in Cairo on reviving Gaza ceasefire

(Patria) - An Egyptian security delegation met with a delegation of Hamas leaders in Cairo as part of efforts to revive ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, Egyptian state television Al Qahera News reported on Thursday, citing an unnamed official source, Reuters reported.

Egypt and Qatar have acted as mediators between Israel and Hamas in months-long
negotiations that collapsed in August without an agreement to end the fighting that began when the Palestinian militant group launched attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

Hamas-run Al Aqsa television reported later on Thursday, citing sources, that the Hamas delegation, led by chief negotiator and deputy head of Hamas in Gaza Khalil Al-Hayya, arrived in Cairo to meet with intelligence chief Hassan Mahmoud Rashad.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that he welcomes Egypt's readiness to advance a deal for the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip.

Earlier in the day, the top diplomats of Qatar and Washington said that American and Israeli negotiators would gather in Doha in the coming days to try to restart talks on a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza.