Hamas leader arrives in Cairo to hold talks on Gaza truce

GAZA, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Tuesday arrived in Cairo to hold talks with Egyptian officials on the Gaza truce.

Hamas said in a brief statement sent to Xinhua that Haniyeh arrived in Cairo at the head of a delegation from the movement's leadership.

It added that the talks will focus on the political and on-the-ground situation in light of the aggressive conflict in Gaza and the efforts made to stop the aggression, provide relief to citizens, and achieve the goals of the Palestinian people.

The Hamas leader on Saturday accused Israel of impeding efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, saying that they "showed full flexibility in dealing with these issues, but it is clear so far that Israel continues to procrastinate in the negotiations."

Israel has been fighting with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7, 2023, after the group launched a surprise attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people. Israel has so far killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry.