CIA Director William Burns arrived for an unannounced visit to Israel on Thursday and met with Benjamin Netanyahu after the prime minister's decision to hold back the Israeli delegation from traveling to Cairo for talks on a new hostage release deal with Hamas. Burns also met with Mossad Chief David Barnea after the two met on Tuesday in the Egyptian capital as part of the previous round of talks.
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Netanyahu's decision to halt the delegation’s travel to Cairo came after Israeli representatives reported "progress" while taking part in the new round of negotiations for a deal in Egypt. It later became clear that Netanyahu didn’t inform Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and government ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, of his decision beforehand.
The Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum expressed their profound shock at the decision to halt the talks in Cairo after Netanyahu’s decision. The organization criticized the move. "This is an alarming choice that effectively condemns the lives of the 134 hostages trapped in Hamas tunnels. It appears that certain members of the cabinet have resolved to sacrifice these lives without acknowledging the consequences," it said in a statement.
On Thursday, the families announced their intention to intensify their fight to force the government to negotiate the release of their loved ones. "The implication of this development means the sacrifice of the hostages," they said in a statement. Representatives of the families will issue a public statement later on Thursday to convey a message to officials in charge of the hostages issue.
The families noted they aim to further the protest "in light of the decision to not send an Israeli delegation to Cairo for negotiations, in light of ignoring the recommendations of the experts in the field, and in light of the prime minister's and other members of the War Cabinet’s disregard of the request of the families of the hostages to hold an urgent meeting with them.”