Hamas negotiators arrive in Cairo for Gaza truce talks

CAIRO, May 4: Hamas negotiators arrived in Cairo on Saturday for intensified talks on a possible Gaza truce that would see the return to Israel of some hostages, a Hamas official told Reuters, with the CIA director already present for the indirect diplomacy.

"The results today will be different. We have reached an agreement over many points, and a few point remain," one Egyptian security source told Reuters.

A Palestinian official with knowledge of the mediation efforts sounded cautious optimism.
"Things look better this time but whether an agreement is on hand would depend on whether Israel has offered what it takes for that to happen," the official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.

The Hamas delegation arrived from the Palestinian Islamist movements headquarters in Qatar, which, along with Egypt, has tried to mediate a follow-up to a brief November ceasefire. Washington, while formally shunning Hamas, has called on it to enter a deal.

The talks have stumbled, however, over Hamas long-standing demand for a commitment to end the almost seven-month-old offensive by Israel, which insists that after any truce it would resume operations designed to disarm and dismantle the faction.

Signalling a possible breakthrough, Hamas said on Friday it would come to Cairo in a "positive spirit" after studying the latest proposal for a deal, little of which has been made public. Israel has previously said it was open to the new terms.

Egyptian sources said William Burns, director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, arrived in Cairo on Friday. He has been involved in previous rounds of truce talks and Washington has signalled there may be progress this time.

The CIA declined to comment on Burns itinerary.

Meanwhile, a top Israeli official on Saturday said Israel will send a delegation to Cairo for talks on a Gaza truce only if it sees a "positive movement" on a framework for a hostage deal.

"What we are looking at is an agreement over a framework for a possible hostage deal," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"Tough and long negotiations are expected for an actual deal.

"The indication for positive movement over a framework would be if we send a delegation led by Mossad chief to Cairo," said the official, who spoke in English.    —Agencies