DOHA: US intelligence chief Bill Burns and his Israeli counterpart David Barnea left Qatar late Saturday following talks on a Gaza truce and captives release deal, a source briefed on the talks said.
The CIA and Mossad chiefs "departed Doha to brief their respective teams back home on the latest round" of talks, the source said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions.
"The talks focused on details and a ratio for the exchange of hostages and prisoners", the knowledgeable source added, explaining that "technical teams remain in Doha".
US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators have been engaged in weeks of behind-the-scenes talks in efforts to secure a second truce in the war between Israel and Palestinian groups and the release of captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails.
Israel had said on Friday that the head of its spy agency was to return to Doha for his second trip in a week after talks were restarted following failed efforts to secure a truce before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Deep differences exist between Hamas and Israel in negotiations for a Gaza truce deal, an official from the Palestinian group with knowledge of the talks said on Saturday.
"There is a deep divergence in positions in the negotiations between Hamas and the occupation (Israel) because the enemy understood the flexibility shown by the movement as weakness," said the official.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was to leave for talks in the United States, the government said, amid growing tensions between the allies over the war in Gaza.
Gallant will meet with US counterpart Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan "and additional senior officials", a statement said.
Israel's military has waged a retaliatory offensive that has killed 32,226 people, most of them women and children, according to Gaza's health ministry.
Palestinian groups seized about 250 Israeli and foreign captives during the October 7 attack on Israel, but dozens were released during a week-long truce in November.
Israel believes about 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 who are presumed dead -- eight soldiers and 25 civilians. — AFP
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
