Hamas leader visits Egypt amid intensive talks on new ceasefire

Breakthrough possible within days, says source as Israel faces pressure to curb ops

CAIRO - The leader of Hamas made his first visit to Egypt in more than a month on Dec 20, a rare personal intervention in diplomacy amid what a source described as intensive talks on a new ceasefire to let aid reach Gaza and get hostages freed.

Mr Ismail Haniyeh, who normally resides in Qatar, typically intervenes publicly in diplomacy only when progress seems likely. He last travelled to Egypt in early November, before the announcement of the only agreement on a ceasefire in the war so far, a week-long pause during which more than 100 hostages were released.

A source briefed on negotiations said envoys were discussing which of the hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza could be freed under a new truce agreement, and what prisoners Israel might release in return.

Israel was insisting that all remaining women and infirm men among the hostages be released, the source said, declining to be identified. Palestinians convicted of serious offences could be on the list of prisoners to be freed.

The source described the negotiations as intensive and said a breakthrough could be possible within days.

A Palestinian official said Mr Haniyeh was keen to listen to Egyptian officials for a possible new approach and noted that the official position of Hamas was to reject any new temporary ceasefire and demand a permanent halt to fighting.

"Hamas' stance remains they don't have a desire for humanitarian pauses. Hamas wants a complete end to the Israeli war on Gaza," the Palestinian official said.