CIA's Plan for a 28-Day Ceasefire in Gaza and Hostage Deal

William Burns, the head of the CIA, discussed a new plan for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages during a meeting with Israeli and Qatari counterparts on Sunday, November 6. Axios reported, citing three Israeli officials, that the plan includes a 28-day halt in hostilities. Under this plan, Hamas would release about 8 hostages, and Israel would free dozens of Palestinian prisoners. Burns met in Doha with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Mossad Director David Barnea. Just hours before the talks began, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi publicly confirmed that Egypt had proposed a partial agreement involving a 12-day ceasefire and the release of four hostages. Israeli officials stated that Burns, Al Thani, and Barnea had previously developed the idea of a partial agreement and discussed ways to build on Egypt's proposal during their Sunday meeting. A senior Israeli official told Axios, 'Israel agrees to a temporary ceasefire, but Hamas needs an agreement that can lead to irreversible steps by Israel. If neither side softens its position, no agreement will be reached.' Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Monday, November 7, that he would only agree to a partial agreement, not an end to the war. These two positions are irreconcilable. According to Axios's analysis, a partial agreement could break the two-month deadlock in ceasefire negotiations, facilitate talks for a more comprehensive agreement, improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza, and secure the release of some hostages held in Gaza. Another advantage of a partial agreement is that the likelihood of reaching an agreement before the presidential elections is low, and both Israel and Hamas will likely adjust their positions based on the election results. The Gaza ceasefire is pending Hamas's decision; Israel says negotiations are focused on a new plan. A Hamas official expressed willingness to resume talks with Israel: 'An agreement is possible.' Resumption of ceasefire negotiations in Gaza; Israel welcomes it, and Hamas announced it is ready to stop the war. A phone call from the U.S. Secretary of State to his counterparts in Qatar and Saudi Arabia; Gaza and Lebanon were the focus of discussions.