The spy chiefs of the United States and Israel reportedly met with the Qatari prime minister in Doha on Thursday to discuss a hostage deal and a pause in the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to Reuters, director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency(CIA) Bill Burns and David Barnea, head of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, held three-way talks with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Bin al-Thani to discuss the “parameters of a deal.”

Reuters quoted sources as saying that all three were brought to one table to accelerate the discussions, with the admittance of fuel into the besieged territory for humanitarian purposes also raised.

The New York Times quoted a U.S. government official as saying that the trilateral negotiations were focusing on a three-day humanitarian pause in Israel’s offensive to facilitate the release of up to 15 civilian hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, however, reiterated in a statement on Thursday that the fighting continues and there will be no ceasefire without the release of hostages by Hamas.