Israel and Hamas working toward new truce, hostage deal
Hopes rose Wednesday that Israel and Hamas may be inching toward another truce and hostage release deal in the Gaza war, following secret talks and as the head of the Palestinian militant group visited Egypt. | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu late Tuesday told relatives of some of the remaining 129 captives held in Gaza since the October 7 attacks that his spy chief was working on efforts to "free our hostages". 💬 "I have just sent the head of Mossad to Europe twice to promote a process to free our hostages," the premier told them. "I will spare no effort on the subject, and our duty is to bring them all back." Mossad director David Barnea held a "positive meeting" in Warsaw this week with CIA chief Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a source familiar with the talks told AFP, asking not to be named. Talks were ongoing "with the aim of reaching an agreement around the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza in exchange for a truce and the potential release of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons," said the source. ● The Qatar-based chief of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, on Wednesday travelled to Egypt, traditionally a key mediator between Israel and the Palestinians, for talks with intelligence chief Abbas Kamel. A source close to Hamas, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the talks would focus on stopping the war and "to prepare an agreement for the release of prisoners (and) the end of the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip".
■ UN weighs new ceasefire call for Gaza, Houthis say will not stop attacking Israel-bound ships (The New Arab)
■ Hamas's Haniyeh in Egypt to discuss potential Gaza truce and hostage release deal (The New Arab)