Efforts made by authorities in Qatar to broker a cease-fire deal were criticized by Israeli leaders as President Joe Biden appeared ready to send the CIA director to initiate talks. The Washington Post reported that CIA Director William J. Burns will travel to Europe within days for discussions with officials from Israel, Egypt, and Qatar. The Post stated that Israel’s proposal included a 60-day pause in fighting and the phased release of the remaining hostages, but Hamas is demanding a permanent cease-fire. John Kirby, the White House National Security Council spokesperson, declined to confirm the Post report. Qatar played a major role in negotiations that led to a one-week cease-fire and the release of more than 100 hostages in November. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Qatar’s role as “problematic,” stating it could put more pressure on the Islamic militant group than it has. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari countered that Netanyahu’s remarks were “irresponsible and destructive to the efforts to save innocent lives, but are not surprising.” The Palestinian Authority is negotiating a loan from the United Arab Emirates and Norway to compensate for tax revenue Israel is withholding. Netanyahu pledged more than $900 million in support of northern Israeli communities that have faced a steady barrage of rocket attacks from Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. Israeli commando teams increased “operational control” over the city of Khan Younis, a stronghold of Hamas terrorists, seizing many weapons, tactical radios, night vision devices, maps, and intelligence information “of great value.” American cargo ship targeted Gaza blast kills 20 Palestinians lined up for aid. Israeli shelling slammed into a crowd of Palestinians awaiting humanitarian aid in Gaza City on Thursday, killing at least 20 and wounding 150, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. The death toll from the attack in northern Gaza is likely to rise. In southern Gaza, the death toll from a strike on a U.N. shelter in Khan Younis rose to 12. “Persistent attacks on civilian sites in Khan Younis are utterly unacceptable and must stop immediately,” said Thomas White, a senior official with the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees. Pursuing Hamas in Rafah may threaten Egyptian-Israeli peace. Israel’s pursuit of Hamas militants near Gaza’s border with Egypt might threaten its longstanding peace with Egypt. If the Israeli offensive continues into Rafah, Egyptian officials are concerned that thousands of cornered Palestinians may rush into their territory. Lebanese Foreign Minister Israel Katz and families of some of the hostages in Gaza lobbied Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani to persuade the Lebanese government to withdraw Hezbollah from southern Lebanon. Hezbollah militants have been clashing with Israel along Lebanon’s southern border since the Israeli-Hamas war broke out in October.
