Media: CIA director proposes new 28-day ceasefire, hostage swap in Gaza

On October 27, Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency Bill Burns met with key Israeli and Qatari officials in Doha, where he proposed a new framework for a temporary ceasefire in Gaza.

The proposal outlines a 28-day pause in hostilities, during which Hamas would release around eight hostages in exchange for Israel releasing dozens of Palestinian prisoners. Israeli officials confirmed Burns met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and Mossad Director David Barnea to discuss the plan, Caliber.Az reports, citing Axios.

The proposed partial deal aims to break the current two-month deadlock in ceasefire talks and improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza, where civilians face severe shortages of basic supplies. Although it represents a step forward, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that he would only support a temporary ceasefire, not a permanent end to the war.

Hamas has insisted that any deal include a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, a demand Israel has firmly rejected, with senior officials noting that the opposing positions remain “irreconcilable.”

The tentative framework suggests a four-week cessation of fighting and includes the release of elderly hostages and female detainees, while Israel would free several dozen Palestinian prisoners. This framework builds on a recent Egyptian initiative, which proposed a 12-day ceasefire in exchange for the release of four hostages, an idea reportedly supported by Burns, al-Thani, and Barnea during their discussions.

US officials believe that the killing of Yahya Sinwar, a senior Hamas leader, could increase the chances of Hamas agreeing to a limited-scale deal. Burns is scheduled to travel to Cairo later this week to continue discussions with Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad. Optimism for an agreement remains high, with further talks anticipated in Doha on October 30, aiming to bridge gaps and advance detailed negotiations.

If successful, this ceasefire would mark the longest pause in hostilities since the outbreak of conflict on October 7 and could provide much-needed respite for Gaza’s civilian population.

By Khagan Isayev