Israel and Hamas could restart ceasefire talks within a week, officials say
Diplomats aim to restart ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas by next week, according to three officials briefed on the process, rekindling hopes of an end to the fighting in Gaza even as Israel presses ahead with its campaign. There.According to officials, preliminary talks took place this weekend in Paris between David Barnea, director of Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence agency; William J. Burns, the director of the CIA; and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a key mediator between Israel and Hamas. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.For months, Qatar, the United States and Egypt have tried to persuade Israel and Hamas to agree to a truce and prisoner exchange that could help end the ...