Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns proposed to the negotiations in Doha a new format for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip, providing for a 28-day truce and the exchange of eight hostages for dozens of Palestinian prisoners, the portal Axios reported. >
According to the site's sources, Burns' proposal includes a four-week truce and the exchange of eight female or male prisoners over the age of 50 for several dozen Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.
The media noted that this scenario could break the ceasefire talks out of the impasse they have reached in recent months and allow them to move towards a more comprehensive agreement.
However, Axios admits that such a plan may not be feasible due to fundamental differences in the positions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has declared readiness only for a temporary ceasefire, and the Palestinian radical movement Hamas, which is demanding the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the enclave and a complete end to the conflict.
„If neither side softens their position, there will be no deal,”, an Israeli official told the publication.
The portal's sources hope that the death of Hamas Politburo head Yahya Sinwar will eventually force the movement to moderate its demands and make Israel more willing to work towards an end to the conflict.
Gaza talks involving the head of Israel's Mossad intelligence service David Barnea and Burns took place in Doha on 27 October. Qatar was represented at the meeting by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdel Rahman Al Thani. On October 25, Barnea met in Cairo with representatives of Egypt's security forces, which are also acting as mediators between the parties to the conflict. The next round of discussions, according to sources at the television company CNN, will begin in a few days, TASS recalls.