CIA Director to Meet Mossad Chief and Qatari PM for Hostage Talks

CIA Director William Burns is set to travel to Europe in the coming days for a crucial meeting with Mossad Chief David Barnea and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The goal of this high-level gathering is to revive negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, as confirmed by two officials to The Times of Israel.

This meeting marks the first significant attempt to restart talks since they broke down two weeks ago. Negotiations had stalled after Hamas responded to a proposal from American, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators with amendments that were unacceptable to both the United States and Israel.

The initial proposal involved a phased release of the 128 Israeli hostages in Gaza, starting with 33 women, elderly, and sick abductees over a six-week truce period. This would have been followed by the release of the remaining hostages and discussions on a permanent ceasefire. The final phase was to include the release of the bodies of hostages held by Hamas. However, Hamas's counter-proposals, including a refusal to release the initial 33 hostages, led to the collapse of the talks.

Recent developments have seen the number of hostages in Gaza decrease to 121, following the recovery of seven bodies by the IDF. While Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel's participation in the upcoming talks remains uncertain, Cairo continues to play a pivotal role in the mediation process. Despite frustrations over reports suggesting Egypt's dual proposals to Israel and Hamas, it is unlikely that Cairo will withdraw from its mediating role due to its geographical and political ties to the conflict.

The resumption of indirect talks has been authorized by Israel’s war cabinet, with IDF Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon presenting an updated negotiation plan. Although not all demands were met, progress appears possible.

The ongoing discussions focus on a staged hostage release in exchange for a temporary truce and the release of several hundred Palestinian security prisoners by Israel. Despite bridging many gaps, fundamental disagreements persist, particularly regarding the nature of the ceasefire — with Israel seeking a temporary truce to dismantle Hamas, and Hamas aiming for a permanent cessation of hostilities.

Currently, 121 hostages remain in Gaza, with varying fates. This includes those released during a recent truce, hostages rescued alive by IDF troops, and bodies recovered. Additionally, Hamas has held the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014, as well as Israeli civilians Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, believed to be alive after entering Gaza independently in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

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