CIA Director William Burns, Mossad Chief David Barnea they will meet today Monday in Warsaw with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani to discuss a possible new deal to release Israeli hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, two US officials told Reuters and Israeli media.

Earlier, the Axios news website reported that the meeting would take place, citing two US and Israeli officials.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to confirm on Saturday that new negotiations are underway for the release of hostages held by Hamas. A source with knowledge of the matter said Barnea met al-Thani in a European country late on Friday.

Israeli news website Ynet, citing a source, stressed that the talks would be “long, complicated and more difficult than the previous ones”.

Qatar was the key broker in the first deal to free Hamas hostages. In it 81 Israelis, 23 Thais and one Filipino were released from the Gaza Strip, in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

It is believed that 129 hostages remain held in the Gaza Strip.

The bodies of eight hostages have also been recovered three hostages were accidentally killed by the Israeli army.