Cairo  -  Egypt's mediating efforts are focusing only on initiating a truce between Israel and the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas, media reports cited Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossam

Tel Aviv/Cairo - The Palestinian militant grpi[ Hamas has offered Israel a six-month ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, media reports in Israel said late Thursday.

Cairo  - The Palestinian militant group Hamas is to give its response Thursday to a proposed truce with Israel mediated by Egypt as other factions insist on a mutual ceasefire, according to Palestinian sources.

A Hamas delegation led by Mahmoud Zahar is expected to present the group's response in a meeting with Egypt's intelligence chief, General Omar Sulayman, Thursday evening in Cairo.

Hamas is widely expected to accept a proposed truce with Israel, which would take effect only in the Gaza Strip, thus dropping a demand that the ceasefire be extended to the West Bank as well, according to Palestinian sources close to the group.

Cairo - A big blaze broke out Thursday in a garment factory owned by the Indian-based Embee International in the Egyptian city of Ismailiya, inflicting damage estimated at about 20 million dollars,

Cairo - The leade

Cairo - Former US president Jimmy Carter held on Thursday talks with officials of the Palestinian Isla