Cease-fire negotiations between Israel, Hamas advance, says IBA

Progress has been made between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in negotiations on an exchange of hostages, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority reported on Sunday.

This follows the conclusion of a summit on Sunday in the French capital Paris with the participation of Israel, the US, Egypt and Qatar.

“The Paris summit between Israel, the United States, Egypt and Qatar on the negotiations for the exchange of hostages with Hamas has ended, and there is progress in the talks,” the broadcasting authority quoted an unnamed Israeli political source as saying.

“The summit discussed a plan to release Israeli hostages in stages, while there are still gaps in demands between the conflicting parties (Israel and Hamas),” the source noted.

“The parties in the talks discussed a cease-fire (that would last) for approximately two months in exchange for the release of about 100 Israeli hostages. Priority would be given to children, women and the sick while Israel releases a large number of Palestinian prisoners,” the source added

Israel was represented at the summit by the head of the Israeli spy agency Mossad, David

Barnea, and that of Israel’s domestic security agency Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, according to the broadcasting authority.

Later, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a brief statement that ‘the intelligence summit in Europe - with the participation of Mossad Director David Barnea, ISA Director

Ronen Bar, Maj.-gen, (Res.) Nitzan Alon, the Director of the CIA (William Burns), the Prime Minister of Qatar (Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani) and the head of the Egyptian Intelligence Services (Abbas Kamel) - concluded a short while ago’.