Deputy seeks longer ceasefire

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns is heading to Cairo to seek an extension of the 72-hour ceasefire agreed by Hamas and Israel. Israeli officials rarely meet on the Sabbath, which starts at sundown Friday, while travel time for negotiating delegations to reach Cairo is also an issue. A senior U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity in New Delhi during Kerry’s visit:

There is a hope for an extension because people have to travel and don’t want to lose a whole day […] We obviously hope there will be (an extension of the ceasefire) and would encourage that, but obviously to do so there’s got to be some sense of serious purpose on the table.