CIA and Mossad to meet Qatari officials for Gaza hostage deal talks
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In a bid to negotiate a potential ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, along with Israel's Mossad chief, David Barnea, are set to meet with Qatari officials in Europe this weekend.
The meeting, which will also involve Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, aims to address the ongoing conflict sparked by Hamas' October attacks on Israel.
The Biden administration has been involved in facilitating talks to secure the release of over 100 hostages taken during the attacks, which resulted in significant civilian casualties and ignited the conflict in Gaza.
Previous efforts by US and Israeli intelligence chiefs, alongside Qatari and Egyptian officials, led to a short-lived truce in November that saw the release of a portion of the hostages.
Sources familiar with the upcoming talks revealed that Israel has proposed a 60-day ceasefire period, during which phased releases of hostages would occur, starting with civilian women and children.
However, Hamas' conditions for a ceasefire include international guarantees against future conflicts and the release of all detainees held by Israel, including those involved in the October attacks.
Despite the divergent proposals, diplomatic efforts are underway to bridge the gap between the parties involved. Following the weekend discussions, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is expected to visit Washington next week, where he will address the Atlantic Council regarding the ongoing situation in the region.