Palestinian and Egyptian sources have said that the latest round of talks in Cairo to restore the defunct Gaza ceasefire and free Israeli hostages has ended with no apparent breakthrough, Reuters reports.

The sources said Hamas had stuck to its position that any agreement must lead to an end to the fighting in Gaza.

Israel has said it will not end the fighting until Hamas is stamped out. The group has ruled out any proposal that it lay down its arms.

But despite that fundamental disagreement, the sources said a Hamas delegation led by the group’s Gaza Chief Khalil Al-Hayya had shown some flexibility over how many hostages it could free in return for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel should a truce be extended.

An Egyptian source told Reuters that the latest proposal to extend the truce would see Hamas free an increased number of hostages.

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