Mossad and CIA chiefs meet Qatari PM to discuss hostage deal

The heads of Mossad and the CIA met with the Qatari prime minister in Doha on Thursday to discuss a deal to release hostages held in Gaza and a pause in the war, according to Reuters. 

Around 240 hostages were taken to Gaza during Hamas' surprise attack on southern Israel on 7 October, which killed 1,400 Israelis. 

The outcome of the talks between David Barnea, head of the Mossad intelligence service, CIA director William Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani are so far unclear, a source briefed on the meeting told Reuters. 

A day earlier, Qatari mediators met officials from Hamas' political bureau to discuss the parameters of a deal.

The talks included discussion over the release of 10-15 hostages in exchange for a one- or two-day pause in the war, Reuters reported.

They also touched on allowing humanitarian imports of fuel into the beseiged Gaza enclave - which Israel has so far refused.