Hamas said discussing truce plan with Egypt

GAZA (Reuters) - A Palestinian official said on Tuesday that Hamas was involved in discussions with Egypt about a plan for a truce with Israel.

The official, speaking to Reuters after Egypt said it was proposing an immediate cease-fire, said that Hamas was considering the possibility of agreeing to such a deal.

"Hamas has presented some remarks and provided some explanations, but the entire matter is still under discussion," within Hamas, the official said.

He said the truce was "at the heart" of talks held by Hamas representatives with Egyptian officials in Cairo in the past few days.

Israel had no immediate comment on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's proposal for an immediate truce, which he presented in a statement after holding talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

A senior official in Sarkozy's office said Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had indicated he would agree to a cease-fire and withdrawal from Gaza, if the Egyptian proposal were to work.

(Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Allyn Fisher-Ilan; Editing by Richard Williams)