CIA Director William Burns Travels to Poland to Negotiate Release of Hostages in Gaza

CIA Director William Burns is in Poland on Monday to meet with the director of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman al Thani. The meeting is part of the latest effort to secure the release of dozens of hostages still being held captive in Gaza.

The meeting follows bilateral talks between Barnea and al Thani on Friday, which marked the first attempt by both sides to restart hostage negotiations after a week-long cease-fire between Israel and Hamas collapsed on Dec 1.

The U.S. military has also been involved in the situation. On Saturday, the destroyer USS Carney “successfully engaged” 14 one-way attack drones launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, according to a statement from U.S. Central Command.

The top two U.S. military leaders are now traveling to Tel Aviv to advise the Israeli government on how to transition from major combat operations against Hamas in Gaza to a more limited campaign and prevent a wider regional war. Burns and Egyptian intelligence leaders were briefed on those talks, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The same group met twice last month, along with Egyptian intelligence officials, in Doha, Qatar. The U.S. is hoping that the meetings will lead to a successful resolution of the hostage situation and prevent a wider regional conflict.