Damascus-based officials from the ruling Palestinian Hamas movement have arrived in Cairo to hold talks with Egyptian officials on a prisoner exchange with Israel, airport sources said on Tuesday.
The delegation, headed by the group's representative in Syria Imad al-Alami, arrived in Cairo late on Monday for expected talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman.
On Tuesday, Palestinian foreign minister Mahmud Zahar joined the delegation staying at a Cairo hotel, an AFP correspondent said, but it was not immediately clear whether he would be taking an active part in the talks.
Egypt has acted as a mediator since the June 25 capture of an Israeli soldier by Gaza-based militants, including some from Hamas, prompted Israel to send troops back into the territory.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said on Tuesday that contacts between Israel and the Palestinians which had stalled due to the capture of the soldier could move forward as a result of the visit.
"The presence of the Hamas delegation in Cairo could help the issue," Abul Gheit told reporters.
The abduction was claimed by three militant groups, including Hamas's armed wing, and the soldier's captors have demanded that Israel free 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for his release.
Jibril Rajub, a top aide to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, came to Cairo to meet Suleiman on Sunday and several Palestinian officials said they hoped a deal was close, although Israel stopped short of confirming any breakthrough.
Egypt had invited Hamas's Damascus-based political leader Khaled Meshaal to come to Cairo but Palestinian officials told AFP he had cancelled his trip citing security concerns.
Hamas is expected to give a firm answer to a proposal whereby a first batch of Palestinian prisoners would be released when Shalit is handed over to the Egyptians and a second batch when the soldier makes it back to Israel.
According to various reports, differences have remained between Hamas and Israel on the identity of some of the prisoners to be freed and the timing of the different phases of the exchange.
Alami is a former representative of Hamas in Tehran and perceived as a hawk within the movement. Also part of the delegation holding talks in Cairo on Tuesday is Hamas MP Mushir al-Masri.
According to the Iranian official news agency IRNA, Meshaal met Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Damascus on Sunday.
US intelligence supremo John Negroponte was also in Cairo for consultations, airport sources said.