Hamas officials were negotiating a ceasefire on Wednesday as Israeli forces kept up the pressure on the Islamists in Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian death toll rose above 1,000 after 19 days of air and ground attacks, according to Reuters. Intensive talks took place in Cairo on an Egyptian truce proposal, but sticking points remained. A senior Beirut-based Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, told Al Jazeera television: "There are still points of difference on the initiative." Ayman Taha, a Hamas official working with Egyptian mediators in Cairo, was due to give a news conference at tonight. Speaking to Reuters, he declined to say whether he would announce an agreement, saying only: "Hamas has accepted Egyptian efforts to achieve a ceasefire and lift the blockade." Earlier, a Palestinian official close to the talks said that Hamas -- which wants Israel to end its assault, withdraw its troops and end a long blockade on the Gaza Strip -- still had one reservation. Hamas officials were meeting Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman to discuss it, he said. There was no immediate comment from Israel, which wants an end to Hamas rocket attacks on its towns and assurances that the movement will be unable to rearm itself by smuggling from Egypt. An Israeli official who asked not to be identified said Egypt was pushing for a ceasefire deal by the weekend. A senior Israeli defense official was expected in Cairo on Thursday.
