Cairo: Egypt is finalising details of a long-term truce deal between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, an Egyptian security source said on Thursday.
Cairo has brokered an interim truce that has allowed commercial goods into Gaza ahead of the Muslim Eid Al Adha feast which starts next week.
“The period of calm will be for one year, during which contacts will be held to extend it for another four years,” the source said.
A long-term truce could pave the way for talks on other issues, including the easing of a blockade that has crippled Gaza’s economy and allowing a possible swap of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers.
The source said Egyptian intelligence chief, Abbas Kamel, was expected to meet Abbas in Ramallah after similar talks in Israel, and a deal could be announced by next week.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Kamel had met with Netanyahu in Israel this week, but gave no details.
A Palestinian source in Ramallah said Kamel has left without seeing Abbas, who had been preoccupied with a Palestinian leadership conference.
But the source said Abbas had informed Egypt that Fatah representatives would join the Cairo talks later this week or next week.
