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US, Israeli intel chiefs, Qatari PM meet in Warsaw for hostage deal talks

18.12.2023 15:00
The US and Israeli intelligence chiefs and the prime minister of Qatar are set to meet in Warsaw on Monday to discuss further prisoner exchanges between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, according to media reports.
William Burns
William BurnsEPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

Diplomatic sources have confirmed that such a meeting is planned in the Polish capital, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.

According to a report by the Axios news serviceCIA director Bill Burns will meet with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and the head of Israel's Mossad spy agency in Warsaw on Monday.

The meeting aims to discuss a potential new deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, Axios reported, citing two US and Israeli officials.

Burnplayed a key role in brokering a previous deal that led to the release of more than 100 hostages last month, among them several Americans, according to Axios.

It reported that the meeting in Warsaw would be taking place three days after the Qatari prime minister and Mossad director David Barnea met in another European capital to try to relaunch indirect discussions between Israel and Hamas that are being mediated by Qatar.

The war between Israel and Hamas broke out when the Palestinian Islamist group launched attacks from the Gaza Strip on October 7, killing 1,400 people and kidnapping more than 200 as hostages, according to the Israeli government.

Israel has since been bombing Gaza, as well as mounting a ground assault on the territory, killing 18,800 people, mostly women and children, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry.

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Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters, Axios