A delegation from mediator Egypt is travelling to Israel today, a source close to the Israeli government told AFP, in what local media said is a bid to reignite stalled hostage-release negotiations.

The source told AFP that Egypt’s delegation was travelling to Israel “for security coordination”.

The effort comes alongside preparations for a military push against Hamas in southern Gaza’s Rafah, and with spillover from the Gaza conflict leading to stepped-up exchanges of fire over Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.

Israel’s army on Friday said missile fire near that border killed an Israeli civilian.

A Hamas official told AFP that any push into Rafah, where much of Gaza’s population is sheltering, would threaten negotiations.