Israeli intelligence chief heads to Cairo to discuss Gaza truce

Israeli officials confirmed to Agence France-Presse on Tuesday that the head of Israeli intelligence, David Barnea, will lead a delegation to Cairo for talks with their American and Egyptian counterparts regarding a proposed ceasefire amid escalating tensions over the war in Gaza.

Israeli officials, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the negotiations, stated that Mossad director Barnea will meet with CIA director William Burns.

Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani will join them in the Egyptian capital, who also served as Qatar's foreign minister and mediated a previous ceasefire agreement in Gaza.

On Monday, sources in Washington familiar with the developments confirmed that Burns is expected to arrive in Cairo for talks on a ceasefire agreement mediated by Qatar after Israel rejected Hamas' initial offer last week.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue military pressure on Rafah in southern Gaza, where around 1.4 million people have sought refuge.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller stated on Monday that the United States "does not support a wide-scale military operation" there without a "credible plan" for civilians in Rafah.

Miller's remarks came hours after Israeli forces reclaimed two hostages held in the Gaza Strip in a deadly operation that resulted in the deaths of around 100 Palestinians, according to the Hamas health ministry.

Hamas claimed that some hostages were killed in recent Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, a claim that AFP could not independently verify.

AFP