The heads of the CIA and Mossad met with the Prime Minister of Qatar in Doha on Thursday. The purpose of the meeting was to explore the potential terms of an agreement concerning the release of hostages and a temporary halt in the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip. This information was revealed by a source with knowledge of the meeting.
The outcome of these discussions has not been made public at this time.
Qatar, a nation that hosts several prominent Hamas political figures, has played a central role in mediating between Hamas and Israeli authorities. The primary aim of these mediation efforts is to secure the release of hostages who were taken during an incursion by Hamas militants into Israel on October 7, a tragic event that resulted in the loss of 1,400 lives.
The meeting, attended by David Barnea, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, CIA Director William Burns, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, took place following prior talks between Qatari mediators and officials from the Hamas political office. These discussions revolved around the potential terms of an agreement.
According to the source, the significance of this trilateral meeting lay in its ability to bring all three parties together in real-time, which could potentially expedite the negotiation process.
The discussions also encompassed the possibility of allowing humanitarian fuel imports into Gaza. Israel has refrained from permitting such imports so far, expressing concerns about potential diversion for military purposes by Hamas.
A source suggested earlier in the week that these discussions involved the potential release of 10-15 hostages in exchange for a brief humanitarian ceasefire lasting one to two days, to alleviate the dire situation in Gaza.
On the same day, Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, traveled to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. There, he met with Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as stated in a release by the Emiri Diwan.
The visit’s stated purpose was to discuss the situation in Gaza. Notably, the UAE maintains diplomatic relations with Israel, following a U.S.-brokered normalization agreement in 2020.
