Mossad chief joins in captives talks with Qatari PM, CIA Director
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Israeli officials say "Tel Aviv" is anticipating greater difficulty reaching an agreement on the terms of a potential new deal, according to a report by Axios.
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Palestinian child Mohammad al-Awar (left) kisses his father’s forehead after being freed by Hamas on November 26. (AFP)
Mossad chief David Barnea is set to hold discussions in Warsaw with CIA director Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani regarding efforts to negotiate a new prisoner deal, according to reports from Israeli media.
The source involved in the matter said the talks are expected to be "long, complicated and more difficult than before."
In the same context, Israeli officials said "Tel Aviv" is anticipating greater difficulty reaching an agreement on the terms of a potential new deal, Axios reported.
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The urgency of the negotiations has heightened after Israeli occupation forces in Gaza killed three Israeli captives despite them holding up a white flag on Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported.
This incident has amplified public demands in "Israel" to prioritize the release of captives over other military objectives, intensifying tensions within the Israeli entity.
It is worth noting that thousands of Israeli captives' families protested on Friday evening in "Kaplan" Street, now known as the "Hostages Square" in "Tel Aviv", demanding that their government restart negotiations for a new prisoner exchange deal with the Palestinian Resistance, according to Israeli media.
Last month, Burns visited Doha, Qatar, to meet with David Barnea, the chief of the Israeli Mossad intelligence agency, and senior Qatari officials. These discussions were part of negotiations that resulted in the release of Israeli captives in exchange for a pause in Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The weeklong pause collapsed at the beginning of this month. Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, along with Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr., is scheduled to meet on Monday with the five members of the Israeli war cabinet, including Israeli occupation's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Security Minister Yoav Gallant, and Benny Gantz.
Austin and Brown are arriving after an especially tumultuous weekend in "Israel", marked by the killing of three Israeli captives on Friday in an alleged case of mistaken identity.
Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official in Beirut, stated in a news conference on Monday that he informed Qatari and Egyptian mediators that the group will not engage in prisoner talks with "Israel" unless "Israel" halts its aggression on Gaza.
“We are against any partial measures, and it is the occupation that hinders the process,” said Hamdan.
According to Egyptian officials, Hamas has informed negotiators that it is willing to release more captives if aid to Gaza is doubled.
However, Hamas insisted that "Israel" must agree to a ceasefire first and withdraw its invading forces behind predetermined lines. It also demands the right to unilaterally decide on a list of captives to be released and the freedom of certain longest-serving Palestinian prisoners, including Marwan Barghouti, a prominent leader in the Fatah movement.
Meanwhile, European views on the Israeli aggression have hardened, with UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock calling for a sustainable ceasefire over the weekend. This marks a departure from their previous alignment with US support for the Israeli campaign.
As "Israel" continues in its genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza, Washington finds itself increasingly isolated in international diplomacy due to its steadfast support for the Israeli military operation. It is worth noting that more than 19,000 Palestinians, mainly women and children, were killed due to relentless Israeli aggression in 73 days, and the numbers are expected to rise as hundreds remain under the rubble.
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