William J. Burns, the C.I.A. director, arrived in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday for a brand new spherical of negotiations geared toward liberating extra hostages held in Gaza, in line with U.S. officers.
Mr. Burns and David Barnea, the pinnacle of the Mossad, Israel’s spy service, met with Gen. Abbas Kamel, the pinnacle of Egypt’s intelligence service, and Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the prime minister of Qatar.
Each Egypt and Qatar have had outstanding roles within the hostage talks. Qatar hosts Hamas’s political management in Doha. And Qatari officers in current days have been talking with Hamas representatives about probably broaden the hostage releases, in line with an official briefed on the talks.
Qatar introduced on Monday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to increase a pause in combating for 2 extra days to trade extra hostages and prisoners and to permit extra assist to come back into Gaza.
One U.S. official mentioned Mr. Burns’s talks in Qatar can be meant to construct on that settlement.
U.S. officers have been deeply concerned in pushing for a deal to launch hostages taken through the Hamas-led assaults on Israel on Oct. 7. Mr. Burns traveled to Doha on Nov. 9 as he and Mr. Barnea held talks with Qatari officers who’ve been engaged on the problem.
Hamas and Israel lastly reached a deal on Nov. 21, and exchanges started later that week. Through the first 4 days of the truce, 50 Israelis or twin nationals have been launched below the framework of the deal, and a further 19 hostages — 17 Thais, one Filipino and one Russian-Israeli twin citizen — have been launched by separate negotiations. In trade for the discharge of the Israelis and twin nationals, Israel paused its navy marketing campaign in Gaza, allowed extra assist to circulate into the enclave and launched some Palestinian prisoners.
Some American officers have expressed hope that the short-term pause may be prolonged into one thing of a extra everlasting cease-fire, although Israeli officers have mentioned their navy marketing campaign should proceed.
A spokeswoman for the C.I.A. mentioned the company doesn’t touch upon the director’s journey.
Israel has been involved that among the Hamas hostage releases have separated youngsters from their moms or damaged aside siblings. All through the talks this month, Israeli officers have pressed for Hamas to launch total households and over the weekend confused to American officers that they didn’t consider Hamas was dwelling as much as the cut price.
These issues have been addressed sufficient on Monday for the pause to be prolonged and for the events to conform to extra talks in Doha.
Mr. Burns was chosen to symbolize america within the hostage talks after Israel chosen Mr. Barnea to work with the Qatari authorities to safe a deal. Neither Mr. Burns nor Mr. Barnea has negotiated immediately with Hamas officers, as an alternative working by Qatari intermediaries.
President Biden has usually used Mr. Burns as a secret negotiator, profiting from his lengthy diplomatic expertise and the C.I.A.’s coverage of attempting to maintain the director’s journey secret.
However Mr. Burns is especially nicely suited to the present negotiations. A former ambassador to Jordan, he has a deep degree of belief with leaders throughout the Center East, in line with U.S., Israeli and Arab officers. Throughout his go to to Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Qatar earlier this month, he centered largely on constructing assist for an settlement to launch hostages.
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