Washington D.C. – Axios, October 24, 2024
CIA director Bill Burns is expected to travel to Doha this weekend for talks with his Qatari, Egyptian and Israeli counterparts about a hostage-release and ceasefire in Gaza deal, two sources with knowledge of the issue said.
Why it matters: It will be the first meeting between Israel and the deal’s mediators after more than two months of deadlock in the negotiations and no significant talks between the parties.
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But U.S. and Israeli officials say they think Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar’s death creates an opportunity to resume negotiations for a deal to release the 101 hostages still held by Hamas and establish a ceasefire in Gaza.
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Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Haya, who was Sinwar’s deputy, is in Doha and Qatari and Egyptian mediators are expected to brief him on the talks over the weekend.
