Sources told Al Jazeera that CIA Director William Burns will hold discussions in Qatar on Thursday, while press reports reported details of the ongoing Qatari-brokered negotiations to release a number of detainees held by the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip in exchange for a humanitarian truce.

Burns visited Israel last Sunday, and the sources said that he will visit Qatar for the ongoing negotiations regarding the deal to release the detainees.

Meanwhile, Reuters quoted an informed source that the negotiations aim to release 10 to 15 people detained by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in exchange for a humanitarian truce in Gaza for a day or two.

The source added that the negotiations are taking place in coordination with the United States, and that the truce will allow Hamas to collect details about all civilian detainees and release dozens of others.

The source - who requested that his name not be published - indicated that "the exact number is still unclear at this stage."

American pressure

The same agency quoted an Egyptian security source as saying that a ceasefire is expected for 24 to 48 hours, or a determination of the scope of the main operations during the next week in exchange for the release of detainees.

The Egyptian source stated that the United States and other countries have intensified pressure on Israel to achieve this matter.

Earlier, Agence France-Presse quoted a source familiar with the talks as saying that the negotiations are being mediated by Qatar in coordination with the United States to secure the release of 10 to 15 detainees in exchange for a ceasefire for a day or two, which is consistent with what Reuters later reported.

Likewise, the French Agency quoted a source close to the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip that negotiations are underway regarding a three-day truce in exchange for the release of 12 detainees, “half of whom are Americans.”

The source stated that progress towards the truce currently depends on its duration and on “the northern Gaza Strip, which is witnessing large-scale combat operations,” pointing out that “Qatar is waiting for the Israeli response.”

On the other hand, the New York Times reported on Wednesday that indirect talks mediated by Qatar were close to reaching an agreement to release 50 detainees, but they faltered when Israel launched its ground attack on the Gaza Strip on October 27.

The day before yesterday, Tuesday, the Axios website quoted Israeli officials as saying that US President Joe Biden urged Netanyahu to stop the fighting for 3 days in order to achieve progress in the detainees file, but the Israeli Prime Minister informed him of his fear of losing international support in the event of a ceasefire for this period.

Tel Aviv estimates that there are about 240 Israelis and foreigners - both military and civilian - detained by Hamas and other Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas position

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas movement, confirmed - days after the launch of the Battle of Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7th - that it intends to release civilian detainees as soon as field conditions permit.

Hamas also said that it was ready to conclude a deal to exchange all its Israeli prisoners for all Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons.

On Wednesday, Hamas leader Osama Hamdan said that the resistance would force the Israeli Prime Minister to pay the price in exchange for the release of his soldiers.

Hamdan added in a press conference in the Lebanese capital - that Netanyahu personally bears responsibility for obstructing the release of foreign detainees.

For his part, Hamas leader Basem Naeem said that civilians and those he described as guests could be released if conditions were created, most notably a ceasefire.

On the other hand, Netanyahu said on Wednesday that there will be no ceasefire in Gaza without the release of the hostages.

Extended deal

Meanwhile, Israeli Channel 13 reported that Tel Aviv is ready to consider releasing what it describes as security prisoners, in reference to Palestinian prisoners, in exchange for a “large and broad deal” to release detainees and prisoners held by the Hamas movement.

The channel quoted Israeli officials as saying, "In light of the attempts of Qatar and the United States to reach small deals that lead to a ceasefire, Israel is ready and willing to consider releasing security prisoners in exchange for a large and broad deal."

On the other hand, the US State Department said that, according to its information, there are about 10 Americans still detained by Hamas.

NBC quoted a senior American official as saying that the release of a large number of detainees requires more than a humanitarian truce "and more than a few hours."

Qatari mediation has so far succeeded in releasing two American women on October 20, and two Israeli women on the 23rd of the same month.

The Israeli war on the Gaza Strip continues for the 33rd day, with the number of martyrs reaching 10,569, including 4,324 children and 2,823 women, and 26,475 Palestinians were injured, amid a complete siege by the occupation and a collapse in the health system.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies + Israeli press + New York Times