US and Israeli intelligence chiefs have left Doha after a new round of talks on a Gaza truce, a source with knowledge of the talks told AFP today.

The director of the CIA Bill Burns and the head of the Mossad David Barnea left the Qatari capital on Saturday night “to brief their teams in their countries about this round” of negotiations, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Those negotiations “focused on details and an analogy for the exchange of hostages and prisoners,” the source added, clarifying that “technical teams remain in Doha.”

Mediator countries – the US, Qatar and Egypt – have been involved for weeks in negotiations to implement a ceasefire, after five and a half months of war between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, and to conclude an agreement to release hostages held in Gaza in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israel.

Israel announced Thursday that the Mossad chief would travel to Doha on Friday to meet with the CIA chief, as well as Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief. It is his second visit in a week, after negotiations resumed after efforts to reach a deal before Ramadan failed.

A Hamas official yesterday spoke of “deep differences” with Israel in the talks, particularly over the ceasefire, the return of displaced persons and the management of humanitarian aid.