Paris, France – Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are set to resume next week in an effort to secure the release of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that negotiators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States will be involved in the upcoming talks. A senior Biden administration official confirmed that progress has been made, emphasizing the ongoing contacts and collaboration with Egyptian and Qatari mediators to advance the negotiation process.
CIA Director William Burns recently traveled to Paris as part of a high-level effort to reinvigorate the hostage talks, which had experienced setbacks in previous weeks. The families of the hostages within Israel continue to push the politically embattled Netanyahu government to reach a diplomatic resolution with Hamas, aiming to bring their loved ones home after almost eight months of captivity. Approximately 120 hostages, including five U.S. citizens, are still believed to be held in Gaza.
Hamas has been urging Israel to agree to a lasting cease-fire in Gaza. Despite a previous round of negotiations in Cairo yielding little progress in early May, U.S. officials remain optimistic that differences between Israel and Hamas can be overcome. The U.S. delegation, led by Burns, engaged in discussions in Egypt and maintained communication with David Barnea, the chief of Mossad, Israel’s national intelligence agency.
A source in the region indicated that the Paris meeting on Friday involving Burns, Barnea, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani resulted in progress. Two U.S. officials noted that their efforts in Paris will contribute to bringing all parties closer to resuming hostage negotiations. President Joe Biden, during a commencement address at West Point, highlighted the U.S.’s involvement in urgent diplomacy to secure an immediate cease-fire that would facilitate the return of the hostages.
The White House announced that Biden discussed new initiatives with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to secure the release of the hostages and establish an immediate and sustained cease-fire in Gaza. Additionally, Secretary of State Antony Blinken engaged in discussions with Israeli war cabinet Minister Benny Gantz, focusing on efforts to achieve a cease-fire and secure the release of the hostages to prevent the conflict from spreading across the region.
The conflict in Gaza escalated following an attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, resulting in casualties and captives. The ongoing efforts by various parties underscore the complexity and urgency of achieving a resolution to the hostage situation amidst the broader regional tensions.