An Israeli official announced on Saturday that the government plans to resume negotiations for a hostage release deal in Gaza in the upcoming days, following a constructive meeting with international mediators in Paris. The discussions are set to be reactivated this week, the official, who wished to remain anonymous, informed AFP.
Details of the agreement were not fully disclosed, but Israeli media have indicated that the nation’s intelligence chief, David Barnea, has established a new framework for these previously stalled talks with CIA Director Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.
In addition, the U.S. State Department confirmed that Secretary of State Antony Blinken had discussions with Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz about initiating new efforts to secure a ceasefire and reopen the Rafah border crossing.
Egyptian news outlet Al-Qahera News, known for its connections with Egyptian intelligence, reported that Cairo is actively involved in reactivating the ceasefire talks and facilitating prisoner exchanges. The report also mentioned that Egypt is applying considerable pressure on Israel to allow the immediate entry of aid and fuel at the Rafah crossing, which Israel had closed earlier this month.
The urgency for renewed talks comes in the wake of a halt in negotiations after Israel commenced a military operation in Rafah, following an attack by Hamas on October 7 that led to significant casualties and the capture of hostages. According to an AFP tally, the conflict has resulted in substantial loss of life on both sides, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting over 35,000 casualties, predominantly among women and children.
