CIA Director Bill Burns is traveling back to Europe to try to get the talks on a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas that would halt the war in Gaza back on track, a US official told CNN. “The Director is traveling to Europe in the coming days in an effort to revive the talks,” the US official said. Burns has acted as a key interlocutor for the United States in the multiparty talks between Israel, Hamas, Egypt and Qatar, and he has been dispatched during previous rounds of talks, only to see them later collapse. A Qatari official told CNN that Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani will also take part. The talks were paused three weeks ago after Burns crisscrossed the region trying to close the remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas.

Source: CNN May 23, 2024 22:27 UTC