CIA director to arrive in Paris for Gaza captive talks: Axios

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Axios
22 Feb 2024 00:50

CIA Director Bill Burns is set to travel to Paris on Friday for discussions with Qatari, Egyptian, and Israeli officials regarding captive negotiations.

William Burns, Central Intelligence Agency director, testifies during his Senate Select Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing in Washington on Capitol Hill on February 24, 2021 (AP)

The CIA director Bill Burns is expected to travel to Paris on Friday for talks with Qatari, Egyptian, and Israeli officials about the efforts to reach a deal to secure the release of captives held by Hamas in Gaza, a source familiar with the issue and an Israeli official told Axios.

Biden administration officials aim to conclude a deal before the beginning of Ramadan in less than three weeks to ensure a temporary ceasefire during the holy month of Ramadan. However, major gaps remain between "Israel" and the Palestinian Resistance.

The primary issue revolves around discrepancies regarding the number of Palestinian detainees to be freed and the methodology for selecting individuals for the initial phase of a potential three-step agreement.

Earlier this week, a senior Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo for talks with Egyptian intelligence officials over the possible prisoner-captive deal.

On Wednesday, Brett McGurk, President Biden's principal adviser on Middle Eastern affairs, convened in Cairo with Abbas Kamel, the head of the Egyptian intelligence service. After the meeting, a US official affirmed that all involved parties are actively involved in discussions to negotiate a deal regarding the prisoners and captives. "We understand the significance of sustained dialogue," the official emphasized.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during a press conference on February 18, that the demands put forth by Hamas in the ongoing negotiations would mean the defeat of the Israeli occupation.

Netanyahu, addressing the media, stated that the Israeli regime would persist in its efforts until achieving what he termed as "absolute victory." He specifically mentioned plans for an operation in Rafah as part of the ongoing war on Gaza.

The head of the Israeli government emphasized the occupation's refusal to "yield to international dictates" for any future settlement with the Palestinian people. "Israel will not submit to international dictates for a future settlement with the Palestinians."