(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-23 20:16

GAZA -- An Islamic Jihad (Holy War) official said Sunday that delegations of Hamas and Jihad are in Egypt for discussion with Egyptian security officials over a truce between the Palestinians and Israel.

On Saturday, the two Palestinian delegations headed to Egypt's Sinai town of al-Ariesh for talks with Egyptian officials on issues of a cease-fire with Israel and reopening Rafah border crossing.

"The meeting in al-Ariesh focused on proposals presented by Hamas and Islamic Jihad on a lull with the occupation, ending the blockade and opening Gaza Strip border crossings," Khaled al-Batsh, a senior Jihad leader in Gaza, told reporters Sunday.

"We received answers from the Egyptians on proposals related to reaching a possible truce presented by the two delegations in the last meeting held in Egypt two weeks ago," said al-Batsh, failing to give more details about the answers.

He said only that "we conveyed the Egyptian answers for discussion and will soon return our answers to the Egyptian side."

Meanwhile, Israeli Radio reported in Arabic earlier Sunday that Israel had sent positive gestures to Egypt in regard to reaching a truce that Egypt is brokering between Israel and Palestinian militant groups.

Beyond the truce deal with Israel, the Palestinians also discussed with Egyptian mediators the closed Gaza border crossings, which have been shut down since Hamas routed security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and thus took control of the Gaza Strip in mid June last year.

The Rafah Crossing on Egypt-Gaza border, which was breached by the Palestinians earlier this year, was also on the agenda of the talks between Palestinian delegations and Egyptian officials.

In January, Hamas militants blew holes in Rafah border fence, allowing hundred of thousands Palestinians to pour into Egypt's Sinai Peninsular to purchase their daily needs.

The border fence was completely resealed after about 10 days border tumult.

To pressure the Egyptian side over reopening of the border crossing, Ismail Radwan, a senior Islamic Hamas leader based in Gaza, warned on Sunday that the Palestinians would breach the border again "if the blockade and the closure of crossings continue."