Israel-Hamas War: CIA to Negotiate Hostage Release Deal

The CIA director, William Burns, is expected to join teams from Hamas and Israel in Cairo for negotiations over a ceasefire and prisoner exchange. The talks aim to craft a final draft of a six-week ceasefire deal, with guarantees that the parties would continue negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire. The negotiations come as Israel signals it may soon launch an invasion of Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip, where about 1.4 million people are sheltering. The discussions are also expected to center on a plan that would pause the fighting in Gaza for up to six weeks and clear the way for another exchange of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli hostages.

The CIA has a history of involvement in the Israeli peace process, with documents discussing Arab and Israeli interest in the West Bank/Palestinian issue and the prospects for the uprising and the peace process.