CIA Director William Burns traveled to Qatar for undisclosed meetings with Israel’s intelligence leader and Qatar’s prime minister

The meetings, as reported by the Washington Post, aimed to facilitate a comprehensive agreement between Israel and Hamas, involving three informed individuals.

Burns is advocating for the expansion of the ongoing hostage negotiations between Hamas and Israel, currently limited to women and children, to include men and military personnel as well, according to the U.S. newspaper.

He is also proposing a more extended, multi-day ceasefire, taking into consideration Israel’s demand for the release of at least 10 hostages for each day of the ceasefire’s duration, as per the sources.

AFP was informed by a source that U.S. and Israeli intelligence chiefs are in Qatar’s capital to discuss the “next phase” of the Hamas-Israel deal in Gaza. The CIA and Mossad directors are meeting with Qatar’s prime minister to build upon the humanitarian pause agreement’s progress and initiate discussions on the potential deal’s next stage, with Egyptian officials also present.

Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman, on Tuesday, expressed the mediator’s intention to use the extension to work towards a “sustainable truce” between Israel and Hamas. Majed Al Ansari highlighted the focus on achieving a lasting truce leading to further negotiations and ultimately ending the war. He mentioned the agreement’s provision allowing the extension of days as long as Hamas can ensure the release of at least 10 hostages. Ansari confirmed the continuation of the truce with the release of 20 more hostages, expressing hope for more information from Hamas about the remaining hostages within the next 48 hours. He noted that recent minor breaches had not compromised the agreement’s core.

Egyptian and Qatari officials told the Wall Street Journal that the main mediators of the Israel-Hamas captive exchange deal are encouraging both sides to extend the Gaza ceasefire until the week’s end and start talks on a permanent truce to end the war. A long-term ceasefire might require difficult concessions from both Israel and Hamas, like swapping Israeli soldiers for thousands of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. It might also entail Israel refraining from an offensive in southern Gaza aimed at capturing the territory and targeting Hamas’ top leadership.

Under a deal announced by Qatar, Israel and Hamas agreed to extend the Gaza fighting pause by two days, with additional hostages released from Gaza each day in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Burns, valued by President Joe Biden for his extensive Middle East contacts, especially with Israel’s Mossad, has become the primary U.S. negotiator in the hostage crisis. A knowledgeable individual about the negotiations stated that Burns is highly respected and listened to by the parties involved.

Burns, a seasoned diplomat and former ambassador to Moscow, is frequently called upon by Biden to address the administration’s most challenging issues, from cautioning Russia against nuclear weapon use in Ukraine to negotiating with the Taliban during the U.S. evacuation crisis in Afghanistan.

His role in the Israel-Gaza conflict is particularly noteworthy, given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reliance on Mossad chief David Barnea, who, according to Natan Sachs from the Brookings Institution, is the key Israeli figure in these negotiations.

Qatar, a wealthy Persian Gulf nation, has been mediating talks between Israel and Hamas since the conflict’s onset.

U.S. officials are pushing for an extended period without fighting to facilitate hostage releases and humanitarian aid delivery. Israeli officials have indicated a maximum of 10 extra days before resuming military operations.

Netanyahu, committed to Hamas’ destruction, is uncertain about Israel’s stance on the 10-day limit amid efforts to release as many hostages as possible. Over the weekend, he affirmed his intention to continue fighting post-hostage negotiations, aiming to eliminate Hamas and prevent Gaza from returning to its previous state.

The recent release round brought the total number of freed Israeli hostages to 51, including dual nationals and 18 foreign nationals from Thailand and the Philippines, while Israel released 150 Palestinian women and teenagers.

The truce agreed upon last week marked the first break in hostilities since the conflict began on Oct. 7, following a surprise cross-border attack by Hamas gunmen that allegedly killed 1,200 people and took over 240 hostages. Israel’s response involved a vast bombing campaign and ground offensive, resulting in over 13,300 Palestinian deaths, many of them children. The bombardment and artillery have devastated large areas of the densely populated region, and Israeli restrictions on essentials have led to a humanitarian crisis.