 Egypt keeps Rafah border closed into the Gaza Strip |
A Hamas delegation is to hold a meeting with Egyptian officials in Cairo to discuss the Gaza blockade, ceasefire and exchange of prisoners.
The delegation is expected to meet with Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman on Sunday -- three days after Israeli negotiator Amos Gilad held similar talks in Cairo.
The delegation is expected to meet with Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman on Sunday -- three days after Israeli negotiator Amos Gilad held similar talks in Cairo.
Suleiman, Egypt's point man on Palestinian-Israeli affairs, has already held a round of separate talks with Hamas and Israeli officials during the 23-day offensive.
Suleiman and the Hamas officials would discuss ways to turn the current ceasefire in place in the Gaza Strip into a long-lasting truce and end Israel's crippling blockade on Gaza by reopening border-crossings.
Suleiman and the Hamas officials would discuss ways to turn the current ceasefire in place in the Gaza Strip into a long-lasting truce and end Israel's crippling blockade on Gaza by reopening border-crossings.
"Egypt will discuss with the Palestinian (Hamas) delegation ways of reaching a lasting ceasefire agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians," a senior Egyptian official told MENA.
Hamas officials on Saturday laid out some their key conditions for the continuation of ceasefire in the costal strip and for the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
A Hamas official said earlier that Shalit will only be freed in exchange for a certain number of Palestinian prisoners, adding that his release is not tied to the re-opening Gaza's border-crossings.
Hamas officials on Saturday laid out some their key conditions for the continuation of ceasefire in the costal strip and for the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
A Hamas official said earlier that Shalit will only be freed in exchange for a certain number of Palestinian prisoners, adding that his release is not tied to the re-opening Gaza's border-crossings.
However, Tel Aviv has urged Cairo, which is acting as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, not to open the Rafah border-crossing with Gaza until Shalit is released.
Shalit was captured two years ago in a cross-border operation by Palestinian fighters. Hamas has requested the release of 1,400 Palestinians held in Israeli jails in return for his release
Negotiations over the exchange of prisoners between Israelis and Palestinians were stalled after the two sides failed to agree upon a list of Palestinian prisoners to be released and the opening of Rafah crossing -- the only Gaza crossing that bypasses Israel.
At least 11,500 Palestinians, including women and children, are suffering under harsh conditions in Israeli prisons.
Bowing to the Israeli calls, Egypt has refrained from opening the Rafah border-crossing into Gaza despite the deteriorating situation in the crisis-stricken region and despite Egypt's full sovereignty over the territory.
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