Hamas officials to visit Cairo for talks

Hamas officials are set to travel to Egypt’s capital on Monday for a fresh round of ceasefire talks. Reuters reports that the delegation will share its response to Israel's latest proposal for a long-sought hostage-release deal and truce in the Gaza Strip after almost seven months of the war.

Egypt, Qatar and the United States have been trying to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas for months, as the death toll in Gaza rises and calls for a deal intensify.

But despite intense pressure to reach a ceasefire, secure the release of hostages held in Gaza and allow more humanitarian aid into the war-battered territory, a deal has remained elusive.

The Palestinian Islamist group said Sunday it had no "major issues" with the content of Israel's most recent offer for a truce.

"The atmosphere is positive unless there are new Israeli obstacles," a senior Hamas official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Hamas has previously insisted on a permanent ceasefire -- a condition Israel has rejected.

The Axios news website, citing two Israeli officials, reported that Israel's latest proposal includes a willingness to discuss the "restoration of sustainable calm" in Gaza after hostages are released.

It is the first time that Israeli leaders have suggested they are open to discussing an end to the war, Axios said.

A Hamas source close to the negotiations had told AFP the group "is open to discussing the new proposal positively" and is "keen to reach an agreement that guarantees a permanent ceasefire, the free return of displaced people, an acceptable deal for (prisoner) exchange and ensuring an end to the siege" in Gaza.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Riyadh as part of a Middle East trip aimed at securing a ceasefire and increasing humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

At least 34,454 Palestinians have been killed and 77,575 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7. The revised death toll in Israel from Hamas’s October 7 attacks stands at 1,139, with dozens of people still held captive in Gaza.