On Nov. 9 a delegation of Hamas leaders visited Cairo, led by Ismail Haniyeh and Khaled Meshaal. They made a one-day visit, during which they met the head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Abbas Kamel, and discussed the issue of hostages and humanitarian ceasefires, according to sources who spoke to the media, reported Al Ahram.
Al Ahram reports that according to Egyptian informed sources that spoke with the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed News website, the Hamas delegation’s visit to Cairo aimed to discuss the file of hostages held, and to be traded in exchange for a humanitarian ceasefire. The sources added that Abbas Kamel discussed with the Hamas delegation mediation efforts to release some foreign prisoners, in exchange for a temporary ceasefire that would last two days.
Al Ahram notes that the Hamas visit came 24 hours ahead of the visit by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who is to arrive in Cairo on Nov. 10 for talks with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. It also occurred 48 hours before the urgent summit of the combined Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Arab League on Nov. 11 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Moreover U.S. CIA Director William Burns had been in Cairo on Nov. 7, in which he also met with President El-Sisi.
