Hamas chief heads to Cairo for talks ahead of Kushner visit

Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya is set to travel to Cairo for talks with Egyptian officials, a Hamas source tells AFP, ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump’s envoy Jared Kushner to the region. Hayya, who will be visiting Egypt for the first time since assuming leadership of Hamas in late July, is due to meet with Egypt’s intelligence chief Hassan Rashad this morning, the source says. Kushner will visit Israel and Egypt next week in hopes of bridging gaps on a Gaza plan rejected by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and will be accompanied by Nickolay Mladenov, the high representative for Gaza of Trump’s so-called 'Board of Peace' tasked with implementing the deal.