NEW YORK, October 30. /TASS/. Director of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency David Barnea visited Qatar over the weekend and met with the country's top officials to discuss steps to free more than 235 hostages in the Gaza Strip, the Axios website reported citing sources.

According to Axios, Barnea's trip to Qatar came after Israel decided to expand its ground operation. Two sources claimed that the talks were constructive but did not lead to a breakthrough, according to the website. Meanwhile, a third source told Axios that progress had been made.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office declined to comment on Barnea's trip. The Qatari Foreign Ministry has not yet responded to the request, the portal noted.

The situation in the Middle East sharply escalated following an incursion of Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip into Israel on October 7. Hamas regards the attack as a response to Israeli actions against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Israel has declared a complete siege of the Gaza Strip and has started delivering strikes on that area and parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank. On October 27, Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Daniel Hagari announced the expansion of the ground military operation in Gaza.