News of Gaza ceasefire talks and new details about the CIA director reached Qatar on Thursday

CIA Director William Burns will hold talks in Qatar on Thursday, sources told Al Jazeera, while press reports reported details of Qatar-brokered talks to release several prisoners held by the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a humanitarian ceasefire. .

Burns visited Israel last Sunday and will also visit Qatar for talks on a deal to release prisoners, sources said.

Meanwhile, I was converted Reuters reported that the aim of the talks was to release 10 to 15 people held by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in exchange for a two-day humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

The source added that coordinated negotiations with the United States were underway and that the cease-fire would allow Hamas to gather information on all civilian prisoners and release dozens.

The source – who asked not to be named – pointed out that “the exact number is still unclear at this stage”.

American pressure

The same agency cited an Egyptian security source as saying that a ceasefire is expected for 24 to 48 hours, or the scope of major operations is determined in the next week in exchange for the release of prisoners.

An Egyptian source said the US and other countries had intensified pressure on Israel to reach this point.

Earlier, Agence France-Presse, citing a source familiar with the negotiations, said that Qatar, in coordination with the United States, would mediate the release of 10 to 15 prisoners in exchange for a day or two of ceasefire. That’s consistent with what Reuters later reported.

Likewise, the French agency quoted a source close to the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip as saying negotiations were underway for a three-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of 12 prisoners, “half of whom are Americans.”

The source said that progress towards a cease-fire currently depends on its duration and on the “northern Gaza Strip witnessing large-scale hostilities” and that “Qatar is waiting for an Israeli response”.

On the other hand, the New York Times reported on Wednesday that indirect talks brokered by Qatar were close to reaching an agreement to release 50 prisoners, but had stalled. On October 27, Israel launched a ground attack on the Gaza Strip.

The day before yesterday, on Tuesday, the Axios website cited Israeli officials as saying that US President Joe Biden had urged Netanyahu to stop fighting for three days to make progress on the prisoner file, but the Israeli prime minister had expressed his fears to him. Loss of international support in the event of a ceasefire for this period.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are about 240 Israelis and foreigners — both military and civilians — detained by Hamas and other Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas position

The al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas movement’s military wing, confirmed that it wanted to release civilian prisoners as soon as field conditions permitted – just days after the Al-Aqsa flood battle began on October 7.

Hamas also said it was ready to conclude a deal to exchange all its Israeli prisoners for all Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons.

On Wednesday, Hamas leader Osama Hamdan said the opposition would force the Israeli prime minister to pay a price in exchange for the release of his soldiers.

At a press conference in the Lebanese capital, Hamdan added that Netanyahu was personally responsible for preventing the release of foreign prisoners.

For his part, Hamas leader Basem Naim said that civilians and what he described as guests could be released if the conditions were created, especially a ceasefire.

Netanyahu, on the other hand, said on Wednesday that there would be no ceasefire in Gaza without the release of the hostages.

Extended contract

Meanwhile, Israel’s Channel 13 reported that Tel Aviv is willing to consider releasing what it describes as security prisoners, referring to Palestinian prisoners, in exchange for a “larger and broader deal” to release Hamas prisoners and detainees.

“In light of efforts by Qatar and the United States to reach small agreements leading to a ceasefire, Israel is ready to consider the release of security prisoners in exchange for a larger and broader agreement,” the channel quoted Israeli officials as saying.

On the other hand, the US State Department said that according to its information, about 10 Americans are still being held by Hamas.

NBC quoted a senior U.S. official as saying a humanitarian ceasefire was needed “and more than a few hours” to free the large number of prisoners.

Qatari mediation has so far succeeded in freeing two American women on October 20 and two Israeli women on the 23rd of the same month.

The Israeli war in the Gaza Strip continues into its 33rd day, amid a complete blockade by the occupation and a collapse of the health system, with the death toll reaching 10,569, including 4,324 children and 2,823 women and 26,475 Palestinians.