JERUSALEM, July 8 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli delegation, headed by Shin Bet security service chief Ronen Bar, left on Monday for talks in Cairo on a ceasefire deal with Hamas, state-owned Kan TV reported.
Kan reported that Bar will also discuss with Egyptian officials the means to prevent weapons smuggling by Hamas from Egypt to Gaza.
Bar will later fly to Qatar to meet with negotiators there on a ceasefire deal for the war that has entered its tenth month and secure the release of about 120 hostages still held in Gaza, some of them feared dead.
On Sunday, ahead of the delegation's departure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he would only agree to a ceasefire deal if it allows Israel to resume its military operations in Gaza following the release of hostages.
Hamas signaled last week that it had dropped a key demand that Israel first commit to a permanent ceasefire before it would sign the agreement, raising hopes for progress in the internationally brokered negotiations. ■
