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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 492

William Burns

An electronic billboard beams an image of US President-elect Donald Trump and references his threat to unleash hell if hostages held in Gaza are not freed until his inauguration later this month, in Tel Aviv, January 8, 2025. (Oded Balilty/AP)
January 10, 2025, 10:22 pm
CIA chief says hostage talks ‘quite serious’; White House: Deal possible by Jan. 20
Washington optimistic on chances of closing agreement to release Israelis held by Hamas before end of Biden’s term; Netanyahu huddles with security chiefs to discuss negotiations
By Jacob Magid and ToI Staff
Protesters outside the IDF's Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv call for the release of the hostages on December 17, 2024. (AP/Ariel Schalit)
December 21, 2024, 9:49 am
Report: Families of several hostages receive signs of life from loved ones
Sides said to have agreed on list of Palestinian prisoners to be released but are in contention over whether dangerous convicts should be sent abroad or freed in West Bank
By ToI Staff
Protesters outside the IDF's Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv call for the release of the hostages on December 17, 2024. (AP/Ariel Schalit)
December 20, 2024, 1:52 am
Arab diplomat says hostage talks progressing but deal still likely to be weeks away
Hebrew media reports are slightly more optimistic, citing Israeli officials who speculate an agreement is possible before the year ends and credit CIA chief for recent advances
By Jacob Magid and ToI Staff
Relatives of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza and their supporters protest a deal to free the captives and end the war, outside the Likud party's headquarters in Tel Aviv, December 17, 2024. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
December 18, 2024, 2:52 am
CIA head to visit Qatar as Israeli reports downplay claims that hostage deal imminent
Bill Burns to meet with Qatari PM after delegations from Hamas, Israel held talks in Doha the previous two days; Trump envoy also expected there following his trip to Cairo
By Agencies and ToI Staff
Illustrative: Mossad chief David Barnea attends a farewell ceremony in his honor, at the National Police Academy in Beit Shemesh, on July 14, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/ Flash90)
October 27, 2024, 8:40 pm
As Mossad head goes to Doha, Egypt proposes 2-day ceasefire for release of 4 hostages
While Hamas wants a comprehensive agreement that ends the war and keeps it in Gaza, Israel looks for initial deal to understand who calls shots after terror chief Sinwar killed
By Lazar Berman
Britain's MI6 chief Richard Moore (left) and US Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns are interviewed at a Financial Times event in London, September 7, 2024. (Em Fitzgerald/Pool via Reuters)
September 7, 2024, 5:15 pm
CIA, MI6 chiefs urge truce-hostage deal; Burns calls for ‘hard political compromises’
As new proposal being finalized, spymasters issue unprecedented joint plea for ceasefire to end Gaza civilians’ ‘appalling loss of life’ and hostages’ ‘hellish confinement’
By Agencies and ToI Staff
Israeli soldiers operate in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on July 22, 2024. (Oren Cohen/Flash90)
August 15, 2024, 10:59 am
US said to believe IDF can’t make further gains against ‘diminished’ Hamas in Gaza
Current and former officials say military achievements have exceeded original expectations, but the only way to free the hostages remains an agreement with Hamas
By ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks while meeting with Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate, July 26, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
July 27, 2024, 1:20 am
Sources: PM ‘taking dangerous bet on hostages’ lives’ by toughening negotiating stance
Mossad chief, CIA head, Qatari and Egyptian officials set to meet in Rome; White House spokesman: ‘Closer’ then we’ve ever been to deal
By ToI Staff and Reuters
CIA director William Burns speaks during a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill, in Washington, March 11, 2024. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)
July 16, 2024, 4:43 pm
CIA head says Hamas’s Sinwar under growing pressure to end war – report
Burns reportedly says Gaza chief worried by increasing resentment over suffering caused by conflict, while senior commanders in group are weary of fighting
By ToI Staff
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant makes a statement before flying to Washington, June 23, 2024 (Defense Ministry)
June 23, 2024, 5:33 am
Heading to US, Gallant says meetings ‘critical for the future of the war’
Defense minister joined by deputy IDF chief in packed visit dealing with multiple fronts, amid spat sparked by Netanyahu’s open criticism of White House weapons holdup
By Emanuel Fabian and ToI Staff
People walk past a large mural reading "Now" at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. June 2, 2024. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
June 5, 2024, 1:42 am
CIA chief returns to region to push hostage deal as Israel vows not to budge further
Hamas demands proposal make clear that deal will lead to end of war; US says ‘we just need to get a ceasefire’ and that terror group’s postwar role in Gaza can be ironed out later
By Jacob Magid
This combination of pictures created on February 13, 2024 shows (L to R) CIA Director William Burns, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. (AFP)
May 24, 2024, 3:32 am
CIA head to meet Mossad chief and Qatari PM in Paris, aiming to revive hostage talks
High-level meeting will be first since negotiations fell apart two weeks ago; unclear if Egyptian intel chief will also attend, though Cairo will remain involved in mediation
By Jacob Magid
Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani (L), ruler of Qatar since 2013, in a meeting with Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh (R) and Khaled Mashal in Doha, October 17, 2016 (Qatar government handout)
May 17, 2024, 8:02 pm
Qatar briefly kicked out Hamas leaders as hostage talks stalled in April — officials
Terror group’s reps moved to Turkey but were allowed back weeks later as talks gathered steam, though they again collapsed after Egypt gave sides different offers, officials say
By Jacob Magid
CIA Director William Burns testifies during a US Senate hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 11, 2024. (Mandel Ngan/AFP)
May 9, 2024, 4:39 am
Visiting CIA chief said to tell Netanyahu he still sees chance for deal with Hamas
Report says Israeli leaders responded that Hamas’s hostages-for-truce proposal ‘crosses all red lines’; senior member of terror group clarifies Hamas won’t budge from its terms
By ToI Staff
CIA director William Burns speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing to examine worldwide threats on Capitol Hill on March 8, 2023. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/AP)
May 7, 2024, 11:50 am
US knew of mediators’ altered proposal to Hamas, did not inform Israel — report
Axios reports Jerusalem newly disappointed, suspicious of the US administration, with a sense it ‘got played’; US official insists: ‘There have been no surprises’
By ToI Staff, Agencies and Jacob Magid
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