CIA Chief Burns Heads to Egypt for Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal Talks

Israel says Hamas's demands are 'delusional'

CIA Director William Burns is headed to Egypt, where he will meet with Egyptian and Qatari intelligence officials to discuss work on a potential hostage deal between Israel and Hamas.

Israel has been resisting the idea of more hostage negotiations since Hamas’ latest proposal, which called for a 135-day truce to facilitate a permanent ceasefire.

US officials told ABC News that it’s unclear if Israel will attend the talks in Egypt, which are scheduled for Tuesday. But around the same time, Axios reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had decided to send Mossad chief David Barnea.

An Israeli official told Axios that Israel would participate in the talks “to listen, regardless of Hamas’ delusional demands.” When Netanyahu rejected Hamas’ offer last week, he said there was “no solution but total victory.”

President Biden was touting the idea of a hostage deal on Monday during a press conference with Jordan’s King Abdullah, who was visiting Washington. “The key elements of the deal are on the table. There are gaps that remain but I’ve encouraged Israeli leaders to keep working to achieve the deal,” Biden said.

Biden said the deal on the table would involve a six-week pause. He claimed the US “will do everything possible” to ensure a deal is reached, but he continues to provide unconditional support for the Israeli slaughter even as Israel is attacking the southern city of Rafah, which is packed with an estimated 1.5 million Palestinians. Hamas has warned that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would “torpedo” hostage deal talks.

Israel said it rescued two Israeli hostages during an operation in Rafah that killed around 100 Palestinians early Monday, giving Netanyahu a propaganda victory for his military campaign. But many more Israeli hostages have been killed in the carnage in Gaza that’s been unleashed by the Israeli military, including three who were gunned down while shirtless and waving a white flag.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.