CIA Director William Burns returned to Qatar Tuesday for a new round of multiparty talks aimed at freeing more hostages kidnapped in Israel and held in Gaza, U.S. officials said. He is expected to meet in Doha alongside intelligence counterparts from Israel and Egypt as well as the Qatari prime minister, according to officials familiar with the matter.
Burns' visit, his second to Doha this month, is focused in part on building on an existing agreement in which dozens of hostages were released over a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza. Qatari officials announced Monday that the temporary pause had been extended for two days to facilitate the release of additional hostages and allow the entry of more humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel also released 150 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons — three for every one hostage— as part of the current deal. An updated deal could change the ratio of prisoner to hostage releases, according to people familiar with the talks.
U.S. and Israeli officials are also working now to broaden the categories of hostages to include men and soldiers, U.S. and regional diplomatic sources familiar with the matter said.
The CIA Director's Travels Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has chosen not to provide any comments regarding the travels or schedule of Director William Burns. However, a U.S. official has revealed that Director Burns is currently in Doha, Qatar for meetings concerning the Israel-Hamas conflict. These discussions will include talks on the subject of hostages.
Prior to this, Director Burns was in Doha on November 9th to assist in revitalizing stalled negotiations. He was joined by Israel's Mossad Director David Barnea and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahaman Al Thani. The Qataris announced the first deal on November 21st, which marked the initial cessation of hostilities since the war commenced on October 7th.
Among the group of 17 women and children released by Hamas on Sunday, one American hostage named four-year-old Abigail Idan was included. Although two American women were also expected to be released, there is no immediate update on their status. John Kirby, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, stated on Monday that the additional two-day pause in fighting could potentially facilitate the release of the two American women. It is believed that there are currently "eight to nine" American hostages still being held in Gaza.
President Biden and other American officials have been advocating for longer ceasefires to enable the release of as many hostages as possible. They have also emphasized the need for increased aid to Gaza, where over 14,000 civilians have lost their lives and more than 2 million Palestinians are facing increasingly dire humanitarian conditions, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Senior U.S. Administration Officials Deliver Aid to Gaza
Senior U.S. administration officials announced on Tuesday that over 2,000 aid trucks have entered Gaza since October 21st. These trucks have been delivering essential supplies such as food, water, medical assistance, and fuel to the people of Gaza. In the first four days of the current aid pause, 800 trucks entered Gaza.
In addition to aid deliveries to Gaza, the U.S. military will also begin relief flights into North Sinai in Egypt. These flights aim to provide additional aid and resources to civilians in Gaza as winter approaches.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to travel to Tel Aviv, the West Bank, and Dubai later this week. This trip will mark his third visit to the region since the conflict erupted. Yesterday, Blinken held calls with his Egyptian and Qatari counterparts, expressing gratitude for their assistance in brokering the current hostage deal. He also reiterated the commitment to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza.
