CAIRO: A Hamas delegation from Gaza crossed into Egypt on Friday for talks to shore up the ceasefire with Israel which ended a 22-day assault on the coastal strip, a border official said.
The official said the six-member delegation entered Egypt through the Rafah crossing and was on its way to Cairo, where talks are to take place on Sunday with intelligence chief Omar Suleiman.
A Hamas spokesman in Gaza said the delegation would press for the swift opening of the aid-dependent territory s borders to basic goods.
They will have discussions with the Egyptian authorities to try to end the (Israeli) blockade and open the crossing points, including the Rafah terminal, on the Egyptian border, Fawzi Barhum told AFP.
The Gaza delegation will be joined by representatives of Hamas Damascus-based leadership in exile, Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki told the state-owned daily Al-Ahram.
Israel and Hamas have observed their own ceasefires since last Sunday when Israel ended Operation Cast Lead leaving a trail of devastation and 1,330 Palestinians dead, according to doctors.
Egypt is trying to secure a durable ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and the reopening of crossings, followed by Palestinian reconciliation talks.
Hamas threatened to resume fighting if Israel does not reopen the crossings and Israel warned it would strike again if Hamas is allowed to rearm.
Suleiman, Egypt s pointman for Palestinian-Israeli affairs, had met with senior Israeli defense official Amos Gilad on Thursday to discuss extending the ceasefire.
An Egyptian government official declined to comment on the talks and told AFP: What I am willing to tell you is that Egypt is willing to take the measures it has to take to secure its border.
Gilad, a reserve general, visited Egypt at least twice during the Israeli war on Gaza. Last year, he was Israel s pointman in talks that led to a six-month Egyptian-brokered truce with Hamas that expired on Dec. 19. -AFP
