Hamas chief says group close to Gaza truce agreement with Israel

Palestinians look at houses destroyed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Rafah on Monday, November 20. Picture:  AP Photo/Hatem Ali

The chief of Hamas told Reuters on Tuesday that the Palestinian militant group was near a truce agreement with Israel, even as the deadly assault on Gaza continued and rockets were being fired into Israel.

Hamas officials are "close to reaching a truce agreement" with Israel and the group has delivered its response to Qatari mediators, Ismail Haniyeh said in a statement.