3 weeks ago
Israel: Another Hamas-held hostage is dormant
CIA Director William Burns arrived successful Cairo, Friday for nan latest information of high-stakes negotiations complete a hostage and cease-fire woody betwixt Hamas and Israel, 2 U.S. officials and a root acquainted pinch nan matter told CBS News.
The sojourn follows a agelong of method talks and a caller connection from Israel that U.S. officials person described arsenic "generous."
File: : Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns listens during a proceeding pinch nan House (Select) Intelligence Committee connected March 12, 2024, successful Washington, D.C.
Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images
Egyptian intelligence officials, alongside elder Qatari and American negotiators, person been for months facilitating nan talks, which successful caller weeks person taken connected caller urgency amid a looming Israeli crushed penetration of Rafah, successful confederate Gaza, wherever much than 1.4 cardinal Palestinians are sheltering.
Burns' presence signals negotiators whitethorn beryllium nearing a captious model that could beryllium decisive for a imaginable agreement. It was not instantly clear whether negotiators from Israel and Qatar were expected to subordinate Burns successful Cairo, arsenic they did successful erstwhile rounds.
A personification acquainted pinch nan position of nan talks said location had been "some progress," but parties were still successful a wait-and-see mode.
The CIA declined to remark connected Burns' travel. The agency of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it had "nothing to say."
American officials person publically warned against an penetration of Rafah without a reliable humanitarian plan. Earlier this week Netanyahu said Israel would invade nan metropolis whether aliases not a hostage woody was reached.
Speaking from Israel Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said nan U.S. position connected Rafah was "clear" and would not change.
"We cannot, will not support a awesome subject cognition successful Rafah, absent an effective scheme to make judge that civilians are not harmed and no, we've not seen specified a plan," Blinken said.
He besides urged Hamas to return nan woody connected nan table: "There is nary clip for delay. There's nary clip for further haggling. The woody is there. They should return it."
Talks deed repeated snags successful caller weeks complete nan number and type of hostages to beryllium released and nan magnitude of nan accompanying region successful hostilities.
Hamas militants took much than 240 hostages and killed much than 1,200 Israelis during their deadly rampage into confederate Israel connected Oct. 7, 2023. The retaliatory subject consequence by Israel, now successful its sixth month, has resulted successful nan deaths of much than 34,000 Palestinian civilians, astir of them women and children, according to section wellness officials.
There are believed to 133 hostages still being held successful Gaza, and 5 of nan unaccounted for are U.S. citizens. Last week Hamas released proof-of-life videos for 2 of nan Americans, Hersh Goldberg Polin and Keith Siegel. In nan propaganda videos, nan 2 hostages are seen speaking connected camera nether duress. Siegel pressed nan Israeli authorities to make a deal.
The Israeli authorities has grown progressively concerned successful caller days that nan International Criminal Court whitethorn rumor apprehension warrants for Israeli leaders, including Netanyahu, for imaginable warfare crimes successful Gaza.
In an question and reply pinch CBS News' Norah O'Donnell past month, Burns, a erstwhile diplomat and seasoned negotiator, said nan monthslong talks were for illustration "pushing a very large stone up a very steep hill," though he said nan U.S. believed Hamas was "capable of releasing a number of hostages correct now."
"I deliberation nan region desperately needs that benignant of a ceasefire," Burns said.
Arden Farhi, Justine Redman and Camilla Schick contributed to this report.
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