Hamas denies report of progress in Cairo talks

A Hamas spokesman says that their movement and Israel have not made progress at ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip being held in Cairo. This is reported by TASS, citing a source.

As the source notes, representatives of Qatar and the US are also present at the talks.

Earlier, the Egyptian TV channel Al-Qahira Al-Ikhbariya quoted an official as saying that significant progress was made at the Cairo talks on the settlement of the situation in the Gaza Strip. The TV channel's interlocutor also said that the talks reached a consensus between the parties on a number of major contentious issues. He noted that the US and Israeli delegations will leave within hours, while the Hamas and Qatari delegations will leave and return within two days to conclude a final agreement. The talks will last about 48 hours, according to the source.

The Palestinian Hamas movement said on April 7 that its delegation met in Cairo with the head of Egypt's General Intelligence Directorate, Abbas Kamel. The movement's main conditions are "a complete cease-fire, the withdrawal of the Israeli military from the Gaza Strip, the unimpeded return of displaced persons to their places of residence, ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, beginning reconstruction of the enclave, and the finalization of a prisoner exchange deal under which Palestinian prisoners are to be release.