Hamas delegation to hold ceasefire talks in Cairo: official

Hamas representatives will go to Cairo on Saturday for talks on a possible ceasefire in Gaza, an official in the Palestinian militant group told AFP.

"A Hamas delegation will go to Cairo tomorrow for several meetings with Egyptian officials to discuss ideas for a ceasefire and a prisoner accord in the Gaza Strip," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.

The announcement came two days after a ceasefire went into effect between Israel and the Lebanese group Hezbollah, a Hamas ally.

The United States has also announced a new diplomatic effort with Qatar, Turkey and Egypt to reach a Gaza ceasefire and the release of hostages taken during Hamas's October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel that set off the current fighting.

That attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,207 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

Israel's retaliatory military offensive has killed 44,363 people in Gaza, according to figures from the territory's health ministry, which the United Nations considers reliable.

Some 251 hostages were also taken on October 7, and 97 are believed still in Gaza, including 34 people who the Israeli army says are dead.

The only ceasefire so far, in November 2023, saw the release of about 100 hostages by Hamas and its allies in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The United States, Qatar and Egypt have led multiple failed efforts since the start of the year to reach a new ceasefire and hostage release.