The American website "Axios" said that CIA Director William Burns is expected to travel to Cairo at the end of this week to hold talks with the head of the Mossad and senior Qatari and Egyptian officials "in an attempt to ensure the release of the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, two informed sources told the site. .

The meeting will take place after President Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Thursday to "enable his negotiators to conclude an agreement without delay to return the hostages to their homeland."

Biden's letter to Netanyahu indicated that the president believes Netanyahu is not doing everything he can to get the hostage deal and needs to show more flexibility.

Burns is also expected to meet with Mossad Director David Barnea, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, and Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel, according to the website.

A US official told the site that Biden's position is that there must be a ceasefire as part of the hostage deal and it must happen immediately, which is why the president pressed Netanyahu on the issue during the call.

The current proposal being negotiated could lead to a six-week ceasefire in Gaza and the release of 40 hostages – female soldiers, other women, men over 50 and men in critical medical conditions – in exchange for approximately 700 hostages. Palestinian prisoners, including about 100, are serving life sentences for killing Israelis.

Last week, the Israeli government recalled its negotiating team from Qatar after the ten-day talks reached a dead end.

Shortly after the Israeli negotiating team was summoned from Doha, Netanyahu's office issued a statement blaming Hamas for the impasse.

Israeli officials said the Biden administration's decision not to veto a UN Security Council resolution on Monday that called for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages led to Hamas hardening its stance.

The White House rejected these accusations and claimed that Hamas' response was prepared before the vote was held at the United Nations.

The Israeli negotiating team headed to Cairo earlier this week and showed more willingness to be flexible regarding Hamas's main demand for the return of Palestinian civilians to the northern Gaza Strip, an Israeli official said in a press conference on Monday.

“The official claimed that the issue of the return of Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza is the main point of contention in the indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas,” according to the website.

Hamas demands the complete return of Palestinian civilians to the northern Gaza Strip and a complete Israeli withdrawal from the land corridor that separates the south of the Strip from its north and prevents movement.

President Joe Biden was particularly angry about the fatal strike (on aid workers from the International Central Kitchen Foundation), and criticized Israel in a public statement, calling for “accountability” for those responsible.