The Qatari publication Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, citing a source in Egypt, reported that CIA head William Burns visited Cairo on the evening of March 8, ahead of a meeting with Mossad head David Barnea.
According to the source, Burns discussed in Cairo the possibility of achieving a short-term ceasefire in Gaza, which would facilitate the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian supplies to the region.
Additionally, Burns explored a "prisoner exchange" formula between Hamas and Israel.
Under this arrangement, the Israelis would not insist on receiving a comprehensive list of surviving hostages held in Gaza.
Instead, Hamas would furnish a list of living hostages among those abducted on October 7, 2023, by Hamas militants and currently under their control.
Intermediaries would then aim to acquire a full list of living hostages during the "exchange" process.
