Cairo talks in an attempt to negotiate a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip ended without success, a representative of the Palestinian Islamist movement said today, quoted by France Presse, quoted by BTA.
"The meeting with the Egyptian minister of intelligence is over, the delegation of "Hamas" will leave for Doha to continue consultations" with the political leadership of the movement, which is based in the Qatari capital, the source told the agency on condition of anonymity.
Recent hopes of a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas to be agreed in Cairo have faded in recent days, with the two sides in the conflict showing their deep differences, particularly on the issue of a possible permanent halt of the military actions in the Gaza Strip, notes AFP.
Negotiations in the Egyptian capital through mediators began yesterday. However, the prospects of success seemed small due to the incompatible demands of the two sides in the conflict.
"Hamas" demands that Israel end the war and withdraw its armed forces completely from Gaza - terms that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected as unacceptable because they would leave the Islamist movement in power in the Palestinian territory - something that would pose a threat to Israel.
Against this background, Israeli airstrikes in Gaza continued, and "Hamas" claimed responsibility for an attack on the checkpoint "Kerem Shalom" that caused casualties on the border between Israel and Gaza.