Amos Gilad, head of the Diplomatic-Security Bureau of Israeli Defense Ministry, arrived in Cairo on Thursday to discuss with the Egyptian officials on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

During a lightning visit to Egypt, Gilad will hold talks with a number of Egyptian senior officials on maintaining the Gaza ceasefire, the Egyptian MENA news agency said.

On Sunday, Egypt invited Israel and the Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip to hold separate meetings in Cairo on January 22 for more talks on means of consolidating a ceasefire in the Palestinian enclave.

An Egyptian senior official said Wednesday that the Palestinian factions' visit to Egypt scheduled Thursday was delayed for more consultations between Egypt, the Palestinian factions and Israeli side towards an acceptable vision on stabilizing the ceasefire.

On January18, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared a unilateral ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, early from 2:00 AM (0000 GMT) on Sunday.

Later on Sunday, Hamas and other Gazan militant groups announced that they would stage a one-week ceasefire with Israel, during which Israel must withdraw its troops.