Symbolic imageHamas leader in Cairo as Kushner trip nears
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya travelled to Cairo on Sunday to meet Egypt's intelligence chief. US envoy Jared Kushner is due in Israel and Egypt next week.
Al-Hayya, who took over Hamas's leadership in late July, was to meet Hassan Rashad on Sunday morning, Hamas sources told AFP and Anadolu, on his first visit to Egypt in the role. Kushner will be accompanied by Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace's high representative for Gaza, on a trip meant to narrow differences over a Gaza plan. Hamas political bureau member Basem Naim told AFP on Friday that the movement awaits pressure from mediators and Washington to compel Netanyahu's government to abide by the roadmap.
The plan Netanyahu rejected
Netanyahu formally rejected the Board of Peace's 15-point plan last Sunday, under which Hamas had agreed to hand its weapons to a new Palestinian governing committee. Israeli forces, he said, will carry out no withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed.
Strikes go on in Gaza
Israeli air strikes, artillery shelling and demolitions killed two Palestinians and wounded 14 on Saturday, the Gaza health ministry said. Palestinian official sources count more than 1,250 killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect last October.
Troops to stay on three fronts
Defence Minister Israel Katz said this week that troops would also remain in occupied "security zones" in Lebanon and Syria.