NNA - CIA Director William Burns, who is in Doha for “emergency” talks with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, is expected to remain in the Gulf country, as negotiations for a Gaza truce continue to drag, according to news reports.

Axios reported that after his last-minute trip to Qatar, Burns will head to Israel by Tuesday for talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But the US news outlet later reported that Burns would likely travel to Israel later this week.

CNN also reported that he will stay in Doha on Monday.

Talks for a ceasefire have been complicated by the latest report that Israel is planning to evacuate thousands of displaced Palestinians from Rafah in southern Gaza ahead of a possible major ground offensive.

Negotiators had hoped that an agreement would be reached paving the way for a ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of Israeli captives held in Gaza.

But Israel had refused to commit to a permanent halt in hostilities and instead promised a temporary ceasefire. AL JAZEERA

============