Israeli war cabinet thwarts Mossad chief bid to resume captives talks

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News Websites
15 Dec 2023 00:54
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Relatives of the Israeli captives have expressed shock and anger at the Israeli government, given reports that Mossad's head David Barnea was prevented from traveling to Qatar.

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in occupied Al-Quds on December 10, 2023. (AFP)

The Israeli war cabinet has prevented the director of the entity's foreign intelligence service from visiting Qatar to resume discussions on a potential new prisoners-captives exchange deal.

Various reports indicate that David Barnea, Mossad's head, wanted to travel to Qatar but faced opposition from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other cabinet members.

This move has prompted demands from the families of Israeli captives for clarification, expressing their shock and concern over the decision.

In a statement, they urged for a swift resolution to the impasse in negotiations, expressing frustration with the perceived indifference and lack of progress. They characterized the ongoing situation as a daily gamble, akin to "Russian roulette" where families are regularly informed about the death of captives.

On Wednesday, relatives of US captives in Gaza met with President Joe Biden at the White House. Following a two-hour meeting, family members expressed their belief that Biden is exerting considerable efforts to secure the release of the captives.

In contrast, relations between captives families and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu have been tense. Earlier this month, a heated meeting took place between them and the Israeli war cabinet. During the meeting, the daughter of Israeli captive Chaim Peri, 79, told the Prime Minister that those still held were "living on borrowed time."

While informal communication channels between Hamas and "Israel", facilitated by mediators Qatar and Egypt, seem to have been maintained since the temporary pause expired on December 1, there has been limited substantive progress.

In the same context, the Israeli entity's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said, on Wednesday, that the war on Gaza will persist even without international support.

"Israel will continue the war against Hamas with or without international support," Cohen said, as quoted by Reuters. "A ceasefire at the current stage is a gift to the terrorist organization Hamas, and will allow it to return and threaten the residents of Israel."

No Israeli captives to be released before Gaza ceasefire: Hamas

Meanwhile, Hamas politburo member Osama Hamdan said on Tuesday that "there will be no negotiation for [the release of the Israeli captives] before a ceasefire in Gaza."

"The occupation will not succeed in liberating any alive prisoner by force, and their lives will be endangered," he stressed.

This comes after the Saudi Elaph news website revealed that a European capital is hosting secret meetings between an Israeli and a Qatari delegation to discuss a new prisoner-captive exchange deal with Hamas.