US, Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials in Paris for talks on Gaza

(Patria) - The head of the US Central Intelligence Agency and top Egyptian, Qatari and Israeli officials were in Paris on Sunday working on a ceasefire in Gaza, officials close to the participants told AFP.

French authorities have been in contact with these four countries with the aim of negotiating a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas, sources said. One source told AFP on Friday that CIA chief William Burns would meet his Israeli and Egyptian counterparts, as well as the Prime Minister of Qatar, "in the coming days." The source confirmed a report in the Washington Post last week that US President Joe Biden is sending Burns to negotiate the release of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for a ceasefire.

The New York Times reported on Saturday that US-led negotiators were nearing a deal under which Israel would halt its war in Gaza for about two months in exchange for the release of more than 100 hostages. Citing unidentified US officials, it said negotiators had developed a draft agreement to be discussed in Paris.

US President Joe Biden spoke with the Emir of Qatar on Friday about efforts to free the hostages, the White House said, but warned that "such a development" was unlikely.

Qatar plays a key role in the latest negotiations after mediating a hostage release deal in November. Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7 resulted in around 1,140 deaths, mostly civilians.

Hamas captured around 250 hostages, and Israel says about 132 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 28 dead hostages. At least 26,422 people have been killed in the ensuing Israeli offensive in Gaza, most of them civilians.