GAZA STRIP: A Hamas official told AFP on Sunday the Palestinian group had not made a decision on whether to send a delegation to a new round of truce and hostage release talks.

Talks were to resume in Cairo on Sunday, Egyptian TV station Al-Qahera reported, two days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave approval for fresh negotiations.

Mediators had hoped to secure a ceasefire before the start of Ramadan, but progress stalled and the Muslim holy month is more than half over.

“There is no indication or decision yet within Hamas regarding sending a Hamas delegation to a new round of negotiations in Cairo or Doha,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.

Fighting rages across Gaza amid revival of truce talks

The official added the gap between the two sides’ negotiating positions was too wide.

“I doubt that there will be any progress in these negotiations because the positions are too far apart,” said the official.

“Netanyahu is not serious and not interested, and the US administration is not exerting real pressure as long as it judges that things are still under control,” he added.