CIA Director William Burns is set to meet in Poland this Monday with prominent figures including David Barnea, the director of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman al Thani. This high-level gathering aims to further efforts to secure the release of numerous hostages currently held in Gaza. This follows two previous meetings in Doha, Qatar, last month, which also included Egyptian intelligence officials.
This latest initiative comes after a series of bilateral discussions between Barnea and al Thani last Friday. These talks marked a significant move in renewing hostage negotiations, which had been stalled since the recent breakdown of a week-long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on December 1. Burns and Egyptian intelligence chiefs were briefed on these discussions, highlighting the complexity and international scope of the ongoing negotiations.
Israel's Channel 13:
ā zolo (@ASEAQ1981) December 18, 2023
A trilateral meeting in Poland this day will bring together:
Qatari Prime Minister
Head of the Mossad Intelligence Service Dadi Barnea
Chief #CIA William Burns
To discuss the launch of a new prisoner exchange deal between Palestinians and Israelis pic.twitter.com/av8za7BYJb
A key issue that has hindered progress in previous talks is the matter of the remaining female hostages. Israeli officials have stressed the importance of their release before moving forward with other categories, including elderly and infirm men. Hamas, on the other hand, contends that these women are IDF soldiers, a claim denied by both U.S. and Israeli authorities.
The urgency for Israel to ensure the safe return of the hostages, estimated to be around 130, has intensified. This follows a tragic incident where IDF soldiers mistakenly fired upon three Israeli hostages, who were signaling surrender with a white flag, resulting in their deaths. An IDF official acknowledged that this incident, which is under investigation, contravened their rules of engagement and described it as "very tragic."
Director Burns, leveraging his experience as a former ambassador to Jordan and Russia, had previously traveled to Doha for talks, which facilitated a brief cessation of hostilities and the release of over 100 hostages by Hamas. In return, Israel freed more than 200 Palestinian prisoners. These developments highlight the intricate dynamics and the crucial role of intermediaries like Qatar in these sensitive negotiations.
Andy Vermaut shares:CIA Director in Talks With Israelis to Restart Hamas Hostage Deal: William Burns is meeting with Israeli and Qatari officials as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrives in Israel. https://t.co/aToUgLig1H Thank you! pic.twitter.com/8yIWBlamDT
ā Andy Vermaut (@AndyVermaut) December 18, 2023
The CIA has refrained from commenting on Director Burns' travel plans. Of the hostages still held in Gaza, eight are believed to be American, including at least one woman. Her expected release in the last exchange did not materialize, and her current status remains uncertain, according to U.S. officials.
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is also in the region, with scheduled meetings in Israel, Bahrain, and Qatar. His agenda includes discussions with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, focusing on future strategies in the conflict, which are expected to involve more targeted, intelligence-driven operations.
American officials anticipate the current phase of Israeli operations against Hamas, characterized by ground operations and extensive airstrikes, to conclude within weeks. Barnea, during his regional visit, also met with U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan for nearly two hours.
You want twisted?
ā David Collier (@mishtal) December 18, 2023
If Israel wasn't involved
World pressure would be on Egypt to open the gates and let civilians flee
That would save ALL the civilians. But NOBODY calls for it
Because it doesn't suit their agenda
They'd rather let civiilains die and criticise Israel for it
A senior administration official, speaking about Sullivan's meetings, emphasized the U.S.'s commitment to resolving the hostage crisis. "We're doing all we possibly can to locate, identify, rescue or secure the release of all the hostages that Hamas is holding," the official stated on Friday.
Since October 7, when Hamas launched an unprecedented terror attack on southern Israel, sparking the current conflict, health authorities in Gaza report nearly 20,000 casualties. Israeli officials attribute some 1,200 deaths to Hamas militants during the initial attack, which also involved the kidnapping of approximately 240 individuals.
