Netanyahu to send Mossad director to Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar
Just one brief ceasefire has been achieved in 15 months of war and talks since then have repeatedly stalled.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has agreed to send the director of the Mossad foreign intelligence agency to ceasefire negotiations in Qatar in a sign of progress in talks on the war in Gaza.
Mr Netanyahu’s office announced the decision on Saturday evening.
It was not immediately clear when David Barnea would travel to Qatar’s capital, Doha, for the latest round of indirect talks between Israel and the Hamas militant group.
Just one brief ceasefire has been achieved in 15 months of war, and that was in the earliest weeks of fighting.
The talks, mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, have repeatedly stalled since then.
Under discussion is a phased ceasefire, with Mr Netanyahu signalling he is committed only to the first phase, a partial hostage release in exchange for a weeks-long halt in fighting.
Hamas has insisted on a full Israeli troop withdrawal from the largely devastated territory, but Mr Netanyahu has insisted on destroying Hamas’ ability to fight in Gaza.
On Thursday, the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry said more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war.
Also being sent to Qatar are the head of Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency and military and political advisers.
Mr Netanyahu’s office said the decision followed a meeting with his defence minister, security chiefs and negotiators “on behalf of the outgoing and incoming US administrations”.
Families of the roughly 100 hostages still held in Gaza after being seized in the militant attack on October 7 2023 that sparked the war are pressing Mr Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring their loved ones home.
The recovery of two hostages’ bodies in the past week renewed fears that time is running out.
Hamas has said that after months of heavy fighting, it isn’t sure who is alive or dead.
A statement by a group representing some hostages’ families said: “Return with an agreement that ensures the return of all hostages, down to the last one — the living for rehabilitation and the deceased for proper burial in their homeland.”
Israel and Hamas are also under pressure from outgoing US President Joe Biden and Mr Trump to reach a deal before the inauguration on January 20.
However, US officials have expressed similar optimism on several occasions over the past year.
Issues in the talks have included which hostages would be released in the first part of a phased ceasefire deal, which Palestinian prisoners would be released and the extent of any Israeli troop withdrawal from population centres in Gaza.
Hamas and other groups killed some 1,200 people and took about 250 hostages into Gaza in the attack that started the war.
A truce in November 2023 freed more than 100 hostages, while others have been rescued or their remains have been recovered over the past year.
