No progress on ceasefire between Israel and Hamas

A Hamas official told Reuters that no progress had been made during the ceasefire negotiations in Cairo.

"There is no change in the position of the occupation (Israel) and therefore, there is nothing new in the Cairo talks," the Hamas official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters. "There is no progress yet."

Israel and Hamas sent teams to Egypt on Sunday for talks that included Qatari and Egyptian mediators as well as CIA director William Burns.

Two Egyptian security sources told the newspaper that progress was made in the talks, and both sides made concessions that could lead to a deal for a three-stage truce.

Delegations left Cairo and consultations were expected to continue within 48 hours, the sources said.

A Palestinian official close to mediation efforts told Reuters that a deadlock continued regarding the end of the war, with Israel refusing to conclude the war and withdraw forces from Gaza and lift a 17-year-old blockade on the enclave.

Reuters reported earlier, citing senior Hamas official Ali Baraka, that Hamas rejected the latest Israeli ceasefire proposal.

"Regarding the exchange of prisoners, Hamas was and is willing to be more flexible, but there is no flexibility over our...main demands," he said.