A delegation from the Palestinian militant
group Hamas is expected to meet Egypt's intelligence chief Sunday for talks
over Israel's response to Cairo's proposals aimed at bringing an end to
hostilities in the Gaza Strip.
The talks come two days after a senior advisor to Israel's Defence Minister
Amos Gilad gave Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Soliman his initial approval
to Egypt's truce proposals, Egyptian intelligence sources told the pan Arab
newspaper Al-Hyatt on Sunday.
Gilad again expressed Israel's willingness to release Palestinian prisoners in
exchange for the release of the kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
Israel also demands an end to arms smuggling via the Gaza border with Egypt and to rocket attacks by Hamas militants on towns in southern Israel.
Hamas says the release of Shalit should be discussed separately and not be
linked to talks over ending hostilities in Gaza. The militant group wants Egypt to open its border with the Gaza Strip to ease an Israeli blockade on the territory.
Egypt told Israel that reaching a truce would facilitate the exchange of
prisoners while at the same time telling Hamas that a truce is a vital step
before opening the Rafah border, the sources said.
Mohamed Nasr, a senior member of Hamas, told the BBC Arabic Service that Hamas
officials were in Cairo to hear Israel's response, not to give the group's
final response to the Egyptian proposals.
A year ago, Hamas took over the Gaza Strip after ousting loyalists of the rival
Fatah faction following deadly fighting, dpa
reported.
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