Media: The CIA chief was waiting in Israel until next week

– Burns is on his way to Doha and an urgent meeting with Qatar’s prime minister. The aim is to exert maximum pressure on Israel and Hamas to continue the negotiations, the unnamed source told the Reuters news agency on Sunday evening.

AFP also quotes a source who says that Burns was going to Doha. Several media outlets report that the CIA chief will then travel to Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz writes that the CIA director is expected in Israel on Monday. But according to the American website Axios, Burns will remain in Qatar on Monday, before probably traveling to Israel later in the week. The CIA does not usually disclose publicly the travels of its director of intelligence.

Earlier the same day, a source close to the negotiations stated that the Hamas delegation has also returned to Doha for consultations following the weekend’s ceasefire talks in Egypt. The Palestinian group’s political leadership is based in Qatar.

Hopes of a Gaza ceasefire appear to be fading following Hamas reiterated its demand for an end to the war in return for the release of the hostages, which Israel’s prime minister has ruled out.