Expected US presence seen as underlining pressure to end fighting amid reports of ‘significant’ progress towards peace deal
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The CIA director, William Burns, is expected to join teams from Hamas and Israel in Cairo on Tuesday for negotiations over a ceasefire and prisoner exchange as international pressure increases to advance the talks.
Israel’s delegation includes its heads of intelligence, David Barnea of the Mossad and Ronen Bar, the director of Shin Bet. Also attending are the Egyptian intelligence director, Abbas Kamel, and the Qatari prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani. A senior Egyptian official said the meeting would focus on crafting a final draft of a six-week ceasefire deal, with guarantees that the parties would continue negotiations toward a permanent ceasefire amid suggestions of “significant” progress.