Qatar PM holds talks with Israel and US intelligence chiefs on new Gaza captives deal

• The new agreement aims to achieve the longest cessation of hostilities.
• Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel will also participate in the meeting.
• The CIA chief has been involved in helping with the hostage deal and pursuing another one.

CIA Director William Burns and Mossad Chief David Barnea are set to meet with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Europe over the weekend to facilitate a potential second deal for securing the release of captives held in Gaza and achieving a pause in hostilities, according to sources familiar with the talks.

US President Joe Biden’s administration has actively worked to secure the release of about 130 captives still held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Officials, as reported by The Washington Post, disclosed that any new agreement between Israel and Hamas aims to achieve the longest cessation of hostilities since the war erupted in October.

Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel will also participate in the meeting. The key mediators are working to narrow the differences between Israel and Hamas concerning the duration of the truce and the number of captives to be released in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel, according to sources.

Qatar, in collaboration with Egypt:

Qatar, in collaboration with Egypt, has actively negotiated to mediate a truce in Gaza and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave. In November, Qatar played a crucial role in securing a weeklong pause in fighting, resulting in the release of more than 100 captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that the CIA chief has been “involved in helping us with the hostage deal that was in place and trying to help us pursue another one”.

Israel, a US ally, has pledged to eradicate Hamas, initiating a barrage of attacks by air, land, and sea that, according to Palestinian health officials, has flattened most of the Gaza Strip. The attacks have resulted in the reported deaths of at least 26,083 people and injuries to more than 64,000.

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