Egypt and Qatar are sponsoring a new round of negotiations to start on Thursday in Cairo aimed at achieving “calm” in Gaza as well as a prisoner-hostage exchange, an Egyptian official has said.

A Hamas source with knowledge of the matter confirmed the Palestinian group had agreed to the talks, with the goal of “a ceasefire, an end to the war and a prisoner exchange deal”.

Both sources spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media.

The Egyptian official said Cairo was urging “both parties to show the necessary flexibility” to achieve a truce in Gaza, where the health ministry says nearly 28,000 people have been killed in four months of fighting.

“Egypt is undertaking intense and persistent efforts to reach a truce agreement in the Gaza Strip,” he added.