Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Wednesday that he opposes cutting off U.S. military aid to Egypt but vowed Washington would keep pressing for "reconciliation" in the country.

The United States earlier this month condemned Egyptian security forces for firing on protesters backing ousted president Mohammed Morsi, in a crackdown that left nearly 1,000 people dead.

Faten al-Gundi waits for a taxi in the center of the Egyptian capital, where life is gradually returning to normal after a week of political violence.

"I didn't go to work for a week because I was afraid," she tells Agence France Presse.

Egypt's foreign minister condemned Israel's killing of three Palestinians on Monday and vowed to work on for inter-Palestinian reconciliation, as he held talks in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

"We condemn the occupation forces' killing of three people from Qalandiya refugee camp," Nabil Fahmi told a joint news conference with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Malki.

For Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, a fierce crackdown has led to a return to its underground existence of the past: avoiding phones and the Internet, changing homes and blending in.

Ever since security forces forcibly dispersed two Cairo camps of protesters loyal to ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi, members of his Muslim Brotherhood organisation have been on the run.

Jordan on Sunday condemned chemical attacks in Syria, urging punishment for those responsible, days before it is due to host a meeting of Western and Muslim military commanders on Syria.

"We strongly condemn and denounce the horrible killings in Syria," Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh told a joint news conference with his Egyptian counterpart Nabil Fahmy.

An Egyptian court on Sunday adjourned the murder and corruption retrial of former strongman Hosni Mubarak, his sons and security commanders to September 14.

Mubarak, who was freed from prison and placed under house arrest on Thursday, attended the retrial, along with the other defendants.

An Egyptian court adjourned Sunday the trial of three jailed Muslim Brotherhood leaders because of their absence, with the judge ordering they be present for the next session in October.

At the same time, toppled dictator Hosni Mubarak appeared in a separate court for his first hearing since he was released from jail to house arrest on Thursday.

Egypt is to shorten its night-time curfew by two hours, pushing back the start time to 9:00 pm (1900 GMT) except on Fridays, the premier's office said on Saturday.

"To lessen the burden on citizens and respond to popular request, the length of the curfew will be shortened and will begin at 9:00 pm instead of 7:00 pm," it said in a statement.

Egypt's former president Hosni Mubarak returns to court Sunday to face charges over protester deaths, as Muslim Brotherhood leaders make their first appearances in court on similar but unrelated charges.

Separate hearings in different parts of the capital come against the backdrop of continued tension in the country, which has been rocked by political turmoil since the army ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in a July 3 coup.

Thousands of Muslims rallied peacefully in northern Nigeria on Saturday to demand the return of Egypt's Islamist former president Mohammed Morsi, ousted by the military early last month.

Around 4,000 demonstrators carrying banners and placards chanted pro-Morsi songs and slogans outside a mosque in northern Nigeria's biggest city, Kano, an Agence France Presse reporter witnessed. Organizers put the number of protesters at 5,000.