Hamas delegation leaves Cairo, prepares response to Gaza truce offer

CAIRO - The Hamas delegation has left the Egyptian capital following talks on a Gaza ceasefire and will "return with a written response to the truce proposal," according to Egyptian sources quoted by Al-Qahera News on Tuesday.

For months, Egypt, Qatar, and the United States have been trying to mediate a new agreement between Hamas and Israel on a truce in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages.

On late Monday, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and US President Joe Biden discussed in a phone conversation the danger of a military escalation in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

"It would add catastrophic dimensions to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the sector, as well as its effects on the region's security and stability," the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

The two leaders discussed the latest developments regarding the ongoing negotiations and Egypt's efforts to "achieve calm in the Gaza Strip, reach a ceasefire, and exchange captives."

They stressed the necessity of trying to prevent an expansion of the conflict and reaffirmed the importance of a two-state solution to achieve security, peace, and stability in the region.