Negotiations Shifting from Egypt to Qatar, Says US Official

Negotiations aiming to establish a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, after nearly ten months of conflict in Gaza, are now moving to Doha, Qatar, following several intense days of discussions in Cairo. This transition was disclosed by a U.S. official.

The high-level Cairo talks, which concluded on Sunday without reaching a cease-fire or hostage agreement, featured prominent figures such as CIA Director William Burns and David Barnea, head of Israel’s Mossad. While a Hamas delegation received updates from Egyptian and Qatari mediators, they did not participate directly in these negotiations.

Despite the main negotiations moving to Doha, some lower-level teams remained in Cairo, working under the guidance of mediators from the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt to iron out ongoing disagreements.

According to the official, who spoke without authorization for public comment, Brett McGurk, a leading U.S. negotiator and White House Middle East adviser, has arrived in Doha to join the talks. The reasons behind shifting the negotiation venue were not specified by the official.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s office has confirmed that an Israeli delegation is scheduled to travel to Doha by Wednesday, though specifics on the delegation’s composition or the discussion topics have not been provided.