Hostage deal talks close to breaking down – CIA director travels to Qatar in last-ditch effort to save negotiations

CIA director William Burns traveled to Qatar on Sunday evening as the hostage deal talks between Hamas and Israel were close to collapsing after a meeting between a Hamas delegation and Egyptian mediators ended without a breakthrough.

“Burns is on his way to Doha for an emergency meeting with the Qatari prime minister aimed at exerting maximum pressure on Israel and Hamas to continue negotiating,” several media outlets quoted an informed source.

A Hamas delegation left Cairo for Doha on Sunday to continue consultations after a meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, which was hoped to bring a final breakthrough in the talks, ended without result.

On Saturday, multiple Arabic outlets had reported that Hamas was set to accept the latest proposal and was ready to agree to at least the first phase of the deal that would free around 30 hostages without receiving guarantees of an end to the war.

Israeli media quoted officials saying that now there was no sense talking in terms of “optimism” or “pessimism” regarding the talks anymore, adding that the chance to reach a deal was “very low.”

Sources in Israel’s cabinet told the media on Sunday evening that unless another U-turn in the protracted negotiations would occur, the long-planned incursion into Rafah was now imminent.

Arabic channels reported that the talks broke down because Hamas continued to insist on its demand to end the current war after the hostages were released and to allow the return of the refugees to the northern Gaza Strip. Israel reportedly refused to sign an agreement on these terms.

In an official announcement, Hamas said: “The organization gave its response to the Egyptian and Qatari mediators, and in-depth and serious discussions took place.”

“We confirm the desire to reach an agreement that meets the national demands of our people, that will end the aggression completely, lead to a withdrawal from the entire Gaza Strip, increase aid, return the displaced, begin rebuilding and complete the prisoner exchange deal,” the terror group added.

Israel’s War Cabinet met on Sunday evening in Jerusalem to discuss Israel’s response to the latest developments, as the incursion into Rafah, which Israeli leaders have forecast for several months, loomed larger than ever.

The Egyptian mediating team was expecting an official Israeli answer by Monday, according to Israeli media reports.

“This is not a surprising step, they do not want a deal,” security officials told Ynet News while also cautioning, “It will not have a positive effect on the situation with Lebanon.”

Reports of an imminent hostage deal had energized families of hostages and anti-government demonstrators who protested across the country on Saturday night, demanding that a deal be reached as soon as possible to release the hostages.