PARIS, Jan 27, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The head of US Central Intelligence Agency will meet with his counterparts from Israel and Egypt, as well as Qatar's prime minister, "in the coming days in Paris" to seek a ceasefire in the Gaza war with Hamas, a security source told AFP on Friday.

The source, from a country implicated in the talks, confirmed reports in The Washington Post and other outlets that said President Joe Biden was sending CIA chief William Burns to try to negotiate the release of remaining Hamas-held Israeli hostages in exchange for a halt of hostilities.

The White House said Biden spoke Friday with Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, to discuss efforts to free the hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.

Qatar is playing a key role as it brokered a hostage release deal in November.

But while Washington is working to facilitate another deal on the release of hostages seized by Hamas and held in Gaza, "imminent developments" are unlikely, the White House said Friday.

"We should not expect any imminent developments," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told journalists.