JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday ordered his spy chief to go to Qatar for talks with mediators on a Gaza ceasefire that would allow Hamas militants to free hostages taken in the October 7 attacks, sources said.
Amid renewed optimism about a possible breakthrough, Netanyahu called a meeting of his security cabinet late Thursday to discuss new Hamas proposals sent through Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries, reports said.
Israel believes dozens of hostages are still alive in Gaza and as the war takes an increasing human toll in the devastated Palestinian territory, both sides face mounting international pressure to reach a deal.
Mossad chief David Barnea was to lead an Israeli delegation to Qatar that has spent months trying to bring enemies to the negotiating table, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. He was expected in Doha on Friday and was due to meet with the Gulf state’s prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Barney’s delegation “travels to Qatar to continue negotiations on a ceasefire and a hostage agreement.
“He will meet the Qatari prime minister for talks aimed at bringing the parties closer to the Gaza agreement,” the source said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.
US President Joe Biden praised the decision to send the delegation in a telephone conversation with Netanyahu, the White House announced. Biden welcomed the decision for Israeli negotiators to “team up” with mediators in an attempt to “close a deal.”
The United States believes Israel and Hamas have a “fairly significant head start” on reaching an agreement on a ceasefire and the release of hostages, a senior US official said.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the Hamas proposal “moves the process forward and can provide a basis for closing the deal,” while stressing that it does not mean a deal is likely in the coming days and that “significant work” remains. .
Hamas has demanded an end to the war and an Israeli withdrawal as a prelude to any hostage deal.
Israel retorted that there could be no end to the war without the release of the hostages. Netanyahu has also repeatedly vowed that the Gaza campaign will not end until Hamas’ military and governmental capabilities are destroyed.
Hamas said late Wednesday it had sent new “ideas” for a potential deal, and Netanyahu’s office said the government was “evaluating” them.
Qatar, Egypt and the United States are mediating between the two sides, and sources close to their efforts said they have been trying to bridge the “gap” between the enemies for several weeks.
In May, Biden announced a path to a cease-fire agreement that he said was proposed by Israel. This included a six-week ceasefire to allow for talks, the release of hostages and ultimately a program to rebuild the devastated Gaza.
“There are important developments in the latest proposals with positive options for both sides,” the diplomat said briefly of the latest proposals. “This time the Americans are very serious about this.”
The war began with an October 7 attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.
Hamas militants also seized 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 42 the military says are dead.
Israel’s retaliatory offensive killed at least 38,011 people, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry of the Hamas-ruled territory.