Doha (National Times) Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani and Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel met with Hamas members in Doha for talks on a Gaza truce, a source with knowledge of negotiations told AFP.

The lead mediators met with the Palestinian group to “discuss a deal for a truce in Gaza and the exchange of hostages and prisoners”, the source said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

CIA chief Bill Burns was also expected in Qatar to continue working with mediators to reach an agreement on a cessation of hostilities, the same informed source told AFP.

Brett McGurk, Biden’s top Middle East adviser, was also headed to Qatar, according to news site Axios which quoted an administration source as talking of a “full-court press […] to get a breakthrough”.