CIA director discusses hostage release plan with IDF during Israel visit

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has said that America’s Central Intelligence Agency is working with its Israeli counterpart to rescue hundreds of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. During his visit to Israel, CIA Director Bill Burns discussed the efforts to release hostages with IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. The meeting also included discussions on intelligence materials, operational planning as well as other efforts to help with the hostages’ release. “Each hostage has their own intelligence file that’s being monitored,” IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari told reporters Tuesday. “We’re making our efforts along with the ISA (Israeli Security Agency), the Mossad, we’re together assessing the situation every day to see what we need to adjust, change and plan, in order to fulfill our task – to bring them (hostages) home,” Hagari said. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, air strikes on the Gaza Strip killed a Hamas weapons maker and several fighters, the Israeli military said on Wednesday, as its air and ground offensive targeted the militants’ tunnel network beneath the besieged Palestinian enclave.

Gaza City, the Hamas militant group’s main stronghold in the territory, is encircled by Israeli forces. The military said troops have advanced to the heart of the densely-populated city while Hamas says its fighters have inflicted heavy losses.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday two separate strikes eliminated a leading Hamas armourer, Mahsein Abu Zina, and fighters engaged in anti-tank or ground-to-ground rocket fire.