Blinken says there is ‘real hope’ for a new hostage deal following Paris talks

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken voices hope for a deal to pause fighting in Gaza in exchange for releasing hostages, after talks in Paris involving the CIA director as well as Qatari, Egyptian, and Israeli officials.

“Very important, productive work has been done. And there is some real hope going forward,” Blinken tells reporters after meeting earlier in Washington with Qatar’s prime minister.

“Hamas will have to make its own decisions. I can just tell you that there is good, strong alignment among the countries involved that this is a good, strong proposal,” Blinken said.

The meeting Sunday in Paris brought together CIA chief William Burns with top officials from Israel, Egypt and Qatar, a US ally that hosts Hamas leaders.

Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who attended the talks, said “good progress” had been made and the parties were “hoping to relay this proposal to Hamas and to get them to a place where they engage positively and constructively in the process.”

A senior official of Hamas has said the group wants a “complete and comprehensive ceasefire” rather than a temporary truce.