Egypt spy chief visits Israel for Hamas truce talks, says report

The newspaper said in a report on Thursday, citing unnamed Palestinian sources, that Abbas Kamel met with Israeli officials on Wednesday.

"Abbas discussed details of the almost fully flushed deal that includes Israeli agreement and humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip," the report said.

It added that Abbas also met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Wednesday evening.

The report comes amid efforts by the United Nations and Egypt to address the crisis in the Palestinian enclave and reach a long-lasting truce.

In the past month, the Israeli military has carried out dozens of deadly airstrikes in Gaza, with Hamas firing rockets into Israel.

On Thursday, Hamas officials and other Palestinian factions met in Cairo to discuss the proposed truce, The New Arab's Arabic-language service reported.

Hamas is demanding an end to the decade-long crippling blockade as a condition for a long-term truce.

Israel is believed to be offering a more limited easing of the closures.

Israel is demanding a halt to all rocket fire and incendiary balloon attacks, and wants Hamas to return the remains of two dead Israeli soldiers and free two Israeli civilians it is believed to be holding.

Israel on Wednesday reopened the Karam Abu Salem, known as Kerem Shalom in Israel, crossing which had been closed to most goods since 9 July as tensions in Gaza flared.

In recent months, Hamas has led regular mass protests along the border that are partly aimed at lifting the blockade.

Since the protests began in March, Israeli troops have killed at least 164 people.

During that time, a Gaza sniper killed one Israeli soldier.

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