CIA Director William Burns held talks Monday in Warsaw, Poland, with Israeli intelligence chief David Barnea and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Israeli media reported that the goal of the back-channel meeting was to reach a new hostage-and-prisoner swap cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas.

The talks come roughly three weeks after the cease-fire in Gaza broke down after Hamas refused to meet an Israeli mandate of releasing hostages daily. The Palestinian militant group blamed Israel for the breakdown.

Qatar — the Persian Gulf nation that plays host to Hamas’ political leadership — was a key mediator in the first cease-fire deal, which saw Hamas release 105 civilians it had taken hostage during its Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

Israel released 240 Palestinians from its prisons under the deal that initially came to fruition through back-channel talks in Qatar between Mr. Burns, Mr. Barnea and Sheikh Mohammed.

Fighting has surged in Gaza since the deal broke down on Dec. 1.

It was not immediately clear Monday why Mr. Burns, Mr. Barnea and Sheikh Mohammed had met in Warsaw, rather than in Qatar.

Ynet news, an Israeli outlet, cited sources as saying the talks were expected to be “longer, more complex and tougher” than discussions that led to the first cease-fire deal.

• Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.