Cairo meeting on hostage talks ends with ‘keenness to continue consultation,’ Egypt says

Egypt says the meeting with senior officials from the United States, Egypt, Qatar and Israel on hostage talks has ended with “keenness to continue consultation and coordination” on the key issues, according to the country’s state information service.

The meeting focused on a framework hammered out in Paris last month by CIA Director Bill Burns, his Israeli counterpart David Barnea of the Mossad, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who also serves as foreign minister, and Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel.

Barnea and Shin Bet director Ronen Bar attended the meeting, but the Egyptian statement made no mention of Israel.

“The meeting witnessed a review of the developments of the current situation,” according to the announcement, and “confirmed the continued consultation and intensive coordination to achieve the goals of the ceasefire, the protection of civilians and [work toward a] two-state solution, in a manner that enhances efforts to establish security and stability in the region.”

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi met with Burns and Al-Thani to discuss the potential truce, the release of the hostages and the delivery of more aid into the enclave, Egypt’s state information service says, noting that no breakthrough was made.