The CIA chief, who is also the chief US negotiator for ending the Gaza war and releasing hostages held by Hamas, said a more detailed ceasefire proposal would be put forward in the next few days.
CIA Director William Burns was speaking at a Financial Times event in London alongside Richard Moore, the head of Britain’s MI6 overseas spy agency, the first time they had appeared in public together.
After 11 months of conflict in Gaza, Burns is working on the US behalf with Qatar and Egypt to secure a ceasefire, and he said “textbook and creative formulas” are being worked on to find a resolution that satisfies both sides.
“I hope we will put out a more detailed proposal on this in the next few days, and then we will see,” he said.
He said it was a question of political will and that he hoped leaders on both sides would recognize that “it’s time to make some difficult decisions and some difficult compromises.”
According to Israeli figures, 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, while Gaza health officials have said about 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Gaza, leaving the coastal region largely flattened.
Burns and Moore wrote a joint article in the FT newspaper on Saturday ahead of the event, highlighting their joint efforts to help Ukraine in its war against Russia.
He said it was more important than ever to “stay the course” in supporting Ukraine and vowed to increase his cooperation there.
Discussing Ukraine’s invasion of Russia’s Kursk region, where Kiev has seized land, Moore called it a “bold and daring” game-changing move.
“It’s too early to say how long the Ukrainians will be able to hold out there (in Kursk),” he said.
Burns called the strike a “significant strategic achievement” for the Ukrainians, and said he saw no evidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power was weakening.
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