Mossad chief en route to Qatar for Gaza ceasefire talks: Reports
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The head of the Israeli Mossad is heading to Qatar for talks regarding a ceasefire in Gaza amid reports of a breakthrough.
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Mossad intelligence agency chief David Barnea, front right, attends a ceremony at the military cemetery in occupied al-Quds, occupied Palestine, May 13, 2024. (AP)
The director of the Israeli Mossad, David Barnea, is set to visit Qatar to engage in discussions concerning a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the Times of Israel reported on Thursday, citing information from an Israeli official.
During his visit, Barnea is scheduled to meet with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Friday. This high-level meeting aims to address ongoing tensions and the possibility of reaching a ceasefire agreement in the conflict-ridden region.
On Wednesday, the Israeli occupation acknowledged receiving a response from Hamas regarding a ceasefire proposal that includes the exchange of prisoners.
The Israelis are currently evaluating this response and are expected to provide their answer in due course.
The Mossad announced Wednesday that mediators Qatar and Egypt have conveyed Hamas' updated response to the proposed hostage and ceasefire deal to the Israeli negotiation team, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid reported Wednesday adding that "Israel" was currently examining the response and would provide its answer to the mediators soon.
A senior Israeli official stated that the response from Hamas was constructive and could potentially pave the way for detailed negotiations on the remaining issues, Ravid added.
According to the Israeli journalist citing the official, although there has been important progress, significant challenges remain. He further noted that any detailed negotiations would be tough and lengthy, potentially taking several weeks to reach an agreement.
The Israeli negotiation team is expected to hold discussions over the next few days with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Security Minister Yoav Gallant to formulate a policy regarding Hamas' response and said the policy might see the Israelis heading to Qatar or Egypt to enter more detailed discussions.
The Israeli official highlighted that Hamas' updated response addresses key issues central to the dispute and the lack of a deal thus far.
Despite the progress, the official, according to Ravid, cautioned that there is still a substantial way to go before a final agreement can be reached.
Moreover, Ravid underlined that in the second phase of the deal, outlined and agreed to by Netanyahu and backed by US President Joe Biden, the Israeli occupation forces will be withdrawing from Gaza entirely, including from the Philadelphi Axis.
Qatar suggested new ceasefire proposal: NYT
Qatar sent Tuesday new potential amendments to Hamas regarding the proposed hostage deal, according to senior officials from different countries involved in the negotiations, the New York Times reported.
Despite these efforts, major obstacles remain: Hamas demands an end to the war and a full withdrawal of Israeli forces, while the Israeli occupation has pledged to continue fighting until Hamas is destroyed and seeks to control security in Gaza post-war.
The senior officials indicated that the disagreements are now centered on two key points. Hamas wants the initial phase of talks to focus exclusively on the number and identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for each remaining hostage. In contrast, the Israeli occupation prefers to keep the discussions open-ended, allowing additional issues to be included, according to the officials.
Hamas fears that the Israeli occupation might sabotage the negotiations by broadening them to cover practically insoluble issues, thereby allowing the Netanyahu regime to continue the war, NYT added. According to the senior officials, the latest Qatari proposal offers Hamas three potential alternatives for the talks.
The senior officials added that Hamas wants language that would prevent the Israeli occupation from unilaterally declaring the collapse of negotiations and resuming hostilities.
