No positive progress in Gaza truce talks: Hamas source

GAZA -- No positive progress has been made in the Gaza truce talks on Saturday, a source from the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that the negotiations encountered challenges due to Israel's insistence on not committing to a (permanent) ceasefire.

Hamas demanded in the deal an Israeli pullout from Gaza and a complete end to the conflict, conditions that Israel has been rejecting.

An earlier report from Al Arabiya News channel said Hamas had agreed to release 33 hostages, instead of the initial 20, in the first phase of the ceasefire deal, as required by Israel.

Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo Saturday to meet the Egyptian mediators on a possible Gaza truce that would see the return to Israel of some hostages.