CIA Director Bill Burns is set to meet with Qatar’s Prime Minister for urgent discussions on mediation in the Israel-Hamas conflict, a source familiar with the talks revealed to AFP on Sunday.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, disclosed that Burns is en route to Doha to confer with Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani. Qatar has been actively involved in efforts to broker a truce in Gaza and secure the release of hostages.
“With no progress made in the recent talks between Egypt and Israel in Cairo, CIA Director Burns is heading to Doha for an emergency meeting with Qatar’s Prime Minister to explore options to get the negotiations back on track,” the source stated.
Qatar, alongside the United States and Egypt, has been engaged in months of discreet negotiations to achieve a halt in hostilities in the Gaza Strip.
The most recent round of discussions between mediators and the Palestinian militant group concluded in Cairo on Sunday, with Israel and Hamas publicly blaming each other for the failure to reach an agreement.
Qatar, which has provided refuge to Hamas’s political leadership since 2012 with the approval of Washington, is also home to the largest US military base in the region.
The meeting between Burns and Al-Thani is anticipated to be crucial in advancing efforts towards a peaceful resolution in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.