Egypt hosts Gaza ceasefire talks

Mahmoud al-Zahhar was reported to be heading the Hamas delegation

Delegations from the Palestinian militant groups, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have begun talks in Egypt about a possible ceasefire with Israel.

Egyptian officials hope to broker an agreement that would end rocket attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip.

The groups have indicated that, in return, Israel would have to stop all attacks on Gaza and lift its blockade.

The US has sent top state department official David Welch to Cairo to support Egypt's mediation efforts.

Aides of Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman met officials from the two groups in the city of al-Arish, security officials said.

Hamas officials said one of the group's senior leaders, Mahmoud al-Zahhar, was heading its delegation.

Hamas leaders have been in hiding in recent days because of the threat of assassination attempts by the Israeli military.

US approval

Correspondents say Egypt appeared to have launched the mediation under heavy pressure from its ally, the US.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held talks with Egyptian leaders on Tuesday.

On Thursday Ms Rice said she backed Egyptian mediation efforts but would not discuss "specifics about meetings".

The US has shunned Hamas as a terrorist group since its parliamentary election victory in 2006 and ousting of the rival Fatah group from Gaza in 2007.

The US is keen for peace talks to resume between the West Bank Palestinian leadership of Mahmoud Abbas and Israel as part of the process launched in Annapolis last November.

Earlier, there were renewed clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinian gunmen.

One Israeli soldier was killed in an explosion, and one Palestinian militant died in an Israeli air attack in northern Gaza.

The latest violence came three days after Israel ended an offensive in which more than 120 Palestinians were killed.