Mossad head expected to meet Qatar PM to resume swap deal talks: Axios

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Axios
16 Dec 2023 03:27
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The meeting marks the first high-level encounter between Israeli and Qatari officials since the collapse of the seven-day ceasefire.

"Israel's" Mossad Director David Barnea speaks during the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) World Summit in "Herzliya" on September 10, 2023. (AFP)

"Israel's" Mossad director, David Barnea, is anticipated to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Europe over the weekend to discuss the potential resumption of negotiations for a deal aimed at securing the release of captives held by the Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza Strip, Axios reported citing two sources.

The website noted that this meeting marks the first high-level encounter between Israeli and Qatari officials since the collapse of the seven-day ceasefire, leading to an expansion of the Israeli military ground incursion into southern Gaza.

Earlier, the Israeli occupation military stated that its troops shot and killed three captives held by the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza on Friday during battles in al-Shujaiya after "mistakenly" identifying them as a threat.

The occupation military claimed that the three captives might have escaped or been left by the Resistance during intense battles in northern Gaza.

Later, family members of captives still held in the Gaza Strip publicly called on the Israeli government to present a new plan for a deal to secure their swift release.

The Palestinian Resistance is currently holding over 130 captives, with more than 100 released earlier as part of a deal that temporarily halted the battles in Gaza for one week.

Axios reported earlier this week that Qatari mediators initiated contact with Israeli officials last weekend to explore the possibility of restarting indirect talks with the Palestinian Resistance for a new agreement.

The Israeli negotiating team was asked about their interest in a deal that would secure the release of the remaining female captives in exchange for a longer-term pause in the fighting, the news website citing Israeli sources.

Axios cited one Israeli source as saying that such a potential deal might include "humanitarian elements," like the release of elderly men, captives with severe medical conditions, or seriously wounded captives.

According to the American news website, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the war cabinet had initially decided against Barnea heading to Doha after the initial Qatari proposal. However, following a backlash, Netanyahu reversed the decision.

Elsewhere, Axios cited an Israeli source as saying that "Israel" has expressed readiness to discuss a new agreement, including the release of the remaining women requested in the previous deal.