Hamas in Cairo as Egyptian media report progress in ceasefire talks

The stakes are high to find a halt to the nearly seven-month-long war

Palestinians stand in the ruins of a home after an overnight Israeli strike that killed at least two adults and five boys and girls under the age of 16 in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip (Ismael Abu Dayyah/AP)

A delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas is in Cairo as Egyptian state media reported “noticeable progress” in ongoing ceasefire talks with Israel while an Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a truce.

Pressure has been mounting to reach a deal – Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is dramatically escalating while Israel insists it will launch an offensive into Rafah, the territory’s southernmost city.