Hamas begins crucial talks with Egypt on Trump's Gaza peace plan

A Hamas delegation began talks on Sunday in Egypt with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, a Hamas official told AFP. The discussions aim to explore ways of advancing the US-backed peace plan for Gaza. Read moreNetanyahu gave a ‘victory to Hamas’ by rejecting US-backed Gaza peace plan Hamas had said in late July that it was ready to hand over its weapons to a nascent technical committee set to govern Gaza, as part of a 15-point plan announced by US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the plan, vowing there would be no withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza until the full disarmament of Hamas. The delegation led by Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya arrived in Egypt on Saturday evening, ahead of a visit by Trump's envoy Jared Kushner to the region. The delegation began a meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad in the Egyptian city of El-Alamein, the Hamas official said. He added that talks would cover "the latest developments in the negotiations and the efforts being made to compel Israel to abide by the agreement, which includes the 15-point roadmap, and to begin its implementation". "The delegation will...