Egypt and the United States have called for flexibility to reach a hitherto-elusive ceasefire and hostage release deal between the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement and Israel after an inconclusive round of negotiations in Cairo. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed during a phone conversation on Thursday night on the “importance of urging the parties to show flexibility” and make the necessary efforts to reach the deal, an Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Friday. Israel and Hamas do not negotiate directly; so the US, Qatar and Eg…