With the Israel-Hamas war surpassing 100 days, pressure on both parties to agree to a cease-fire from world leaders is mounting. Reports say CIA Director William Burns is soon expected to travel to France to meet with Israeli intelligence officials along with Qatari and Egyptian officials in an attempt to broker a deal for the release of the more than 100 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Point phone camera here
According to an anonymous source cited by CBS News and other outlets, Burns will be meeting with the head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency, David Barnea, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Egyptian intelligence official Abbas Kamel.
Among the hostages still being held in Gaza are said to be six male Americans. Burns’ trip will mark the fourth round of such negotiations, as he has traveled to Qatar twice in November and Poland once in an effort to get a hostage deal done.
Previous negotiations fell short of a deal, however, with Hamas adamant that hostages would only be released in exchange for an end to the war, the release of Palestinian prisoners, and Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza. An offer that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected.
“Hamas is demanding, in exchange for the release of our hostages, the end of the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of the murderers and rapists of the Nukhba and leaving Hamas in place,” Netanyahu said. “I am not prepared to accept such a mortal blow to the security of Israel; therefore, we will not agree to this.”
In a statement on Jan. 18, marking the 100th day of the war, President Joe Biden made a promise to Americans who have loved ones being held captive in Gaza, saying the U.S. “will never stop working to bring Americans home.”
Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Israel Defense Forces, Joe Biden, William Burns
MORE THAN 100 DAYS INTO THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR, AND PRESSURE ON BOTH PARTIES TO AGREE TO A CEASE-FIRE FROM WORLD LEADERS IS MOUNTING.
REPORTS SAY C-I-A DIRECTOR WILLIAM BURNS IS SOON EXPECTED TO TRAVEL TO FRANCE TO MEET WITH ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS ALONG WITH QATARI AND EGYPTIAN OFFICIALS IN AN ATTEMPT TO BROKER A DEAL FOR THE RELEASE OF THE MORE THAN 100 HOSTAGES STILL BEING HELD BY HAMAS IN GAZA.
AMONG THEM ARE SAID TO BE SIX MALE AMERICANS.
BURNS’ TRIP WILL MARK HIS FOURTH ROUND OF SUCH NEGOTIATIONS AS HE HAS TRAVELED TO QATAR TWICE IN NOVEMBER AND POLAND ONCE IN DECEMBER.
PREVIOUS NEGOTIATIONS HAVE FALLEN SHORT — WITH HAMAS ADAMANT THAT THE HOSTAGES WILL ONLY BE RELEASED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN END TO THE WAR.
ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU REJECTING THE TERMS — RECENTLY SAYING QUOTE “I AM NOT PREPARED TO ACCEPT SUCH A MORTAL BLOW TO THE SECURITY OF ISRAEL.”
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
