DEIR AL-BALAH (GAZA STRIP): Hamas' top leader arrived in Cairo on Wednesday for talks on the war in Gaza, where the militant group is putting up stiff resistance after more than 10 weeks of heavy Israeli bombardment and fierce urban combat that has killed nearly 20,000 Palestinians.

The visit by Ismail Haniyeh came a day after Hamas fired rockets that set off air raid sirens in central Israel, a show of strength during a war that has devastated much of northern Gaza and driven some 1.9 million Palestinians — nearly 85% of the population — from their homes.

Israel has called on the rest of the world to blacklist Hamas as a terrorist organization, saying it must be eradicated in the wake of its Oct. 7 rampage across southern Israel that triggered the war. But the sides have recently relaunched indirect talks, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, aimed at instituting another cease-fire and freeing more hostages captured in that attack in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Despite a flurry of activity by high-level officials in recent days, the two sides appeared to be far from an agreement. Hamas said in a statement that Haniyeh would discuss the war with Egyptian officials, without providing more details.

Egypt, along with Qatar — where Haniyeh is believed to be based — helped mediate a weeklong cease-fire in November in which Hamas freed over 100 hostages in exchange for Israel's release of 240 Palestinian prisoners.

ISRAEL SAYS ‘FINAL CLEARING’ UNDERWAY IN THE NORTH

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Tuesday that Israeli forces were entering Hamas’ tunnel network in northern Gaza as part of a “final clearing” of militants from the region. The densely built urban north — including Gaza City, the territory's largest — has seen ferocious fighting, with Palestinian health officials reporting dozens of people killed in bombardment in recent days.

Gallant said that in southern Gaza, operations will take “months,” including the military’s assault on Khan Younis, the enclave's second-largest city. “We will not stop until we reach our goals,” he said.

The Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Tuesday the death toll since the start of the war had risen to more than 19,600. It does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths.

Hamas and other militants abducted some 240 people in the Oct. 7 attack. They are still holding an estimated 129 captives after most of the rest, mainly women and children, were released last month.

Israel’s military says 131 of its soldiers have been killed in the Gaza ground offensive. Israel says it has killed some 7,000 militants, without providing evidence, and blames civilian deaths on Hamas, saying it uses them as human shields when it fights in residential areas.

UN MEMBERS STILL PUSHING US ON AID RESOLUTION

U.N. Security Council members are negotiating an Arab-sponsored resolution to halt the fighting in some way to allow for an increase in desperately needed humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. A vote on the resolution, first scheduled for Monday, was pushed back again until Wednesday as talks continued in the hopes of getting the U.S. to abstain or vote “yes” on the resolution after it vetoed an earlier cease-fire call.

France, the United Kingdom and Germany — some of Israel’s closest allies — joined global calls for a cease-fire over the weekend. In Israel, protesters have called for negotiations with Hamas to facilitate the release of scores of hostages still held by the group.

Israel says it will keep fighting until it has removed Hamas from power, dismantled its armed wing and returned all the hostages. U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has called on Israel to take greater steps to spare civilians but has continued to provide diplomatic and military support for the offensive.