Ceasefire talks raise Gaza hopes, but 1.5 Mn trapped in Rafah fear the worst

A closed-door meeting of spy chiefs, military officials and diplomats has briefly renewed hopes of a potential ceasefire deal amid fierce debates at the United Nations, but observers have warned that time is running out to make progress and prevent a looming Israeli offensive on Gaza’s southernmost city.

The secretive talks at an unknown location in Paris involved David Barnea, the Head of Israel’s Mossad Intelligence Service, conducting separate meetings with Egyptian Spy Chief Abbas Kamel, head of the CIA William Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

Israeli officials said they had dispatched negotiators to Paris with an expanded mandate. “We will expand the authority given to our hostage negotiators,” Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told US envoy to the Middle East Brett McGurk last week. “At the same time, the IDF is preparing the continuation of intense ground operations.”

The Israeli delegation had reportedly already left by Saturday to take any developments back to Israel’s war cabinet, dampening expectations that talks could continue. (The Guardian)

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