LONDON, November 9. /TASS/. Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) WIllian Burns and head of Israel’s Mossad spy service David Barnea have held talks with the Qatari authorities, discussing conditions for the release of 10 to 20 hostages held by the Hamas movement, the Financial Times writes.

The newspaper reported, citing an official briefed on the discussions, that a three-day humanitarian pause might be announced for that purpose. "Talks have been progressing well towards a deal in the past few days," the official said, as quoted by the paper.

Qatar continues to act as the main mediator in talks with Hamas, whose members, according to the FT, demand "a five-day pause, alongside fuel and aid deliveries in exchange for an unknown number of hostages."

The Israeli authorities earlier suggested "hours-long tactical pauses during hostage releases," the newspaper writes, adding that "the talks in Qatar are the most advanced so far."

Tensions in the Middle East flared up again on October 7 after militants from the Gaza Strip-based radical Palestinian group Hamas staged a surprise incursion into Israeli territory from Gaza. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Old City. Israel announced a total blockade of Gaza and started carrying out airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave, as well as on certain areas in Lebanon and Syria, and launched a ground offensive against Hamas’ strongholds in Gaza. Clashes are also taking place in the West Bank.