Smoke billows after Israeli bombardment in central Gaza City on March 18, 2024, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the militant group Hamas.
"There is no change in the position of the occupation and therefore, there is nothing new in the Cairo talks," the Hamas official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters.
In Jerusalem at the weekend, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz described the Cairo talks as the closest the sides have come to a deal since a November truce under which Hamas freed dozens of hostages.
Of those, 129 hostages remain, and negotiators have spoken of around 40 going free in the first stage of a prospective deal with Hamas.
Two Egyptian security sources and Al-Qahera News said progress had been made in the Cairo talks.
Persons:
William Burns, Israel Katz
Organizations:
Hamas, CIA, Reuters, Palestinian
Locations:
Gaza City, Israel, Gaza, Cairo, Qatar, U.S, Egypt, Jerusalem