The C.I.A. director, William J. Burns, is expected to travel to Cairo on Saturday for further talks on releasing Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, according to a person briefed on the plans, Paralel.Az reports citing The New York Times.

American officials believe negotiating a pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas and the exchange of Israeli hostages held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel is the only way to put a temporary cease-fire into effect and increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the enclave.

Burns, a key figure in the continuing negotiations, is expected to be joined by David Barnea, the head of Mossad, Israel’s spy agency, and negotiators from Egypt and Qatar. Neither the Americans nor the Israelis speak directly to Hamas. Instead, their proposals are relayed through Egyptian and Qatari officials, who speak to members of Hamas.