Press
Israel’s indirect negotiations with Hamas require a lot of patience from those involved. Small details become stumbling blocks. But now there is only talk of a “final hurdle”.
Doha/Tel Aviv – After weeks of deadlock, Israel and the Islamist Hamas are once again holding indirect talks about a ceasefire in the Gaza war – and the exchange of hostages and prisoners. A delegation led by David Barnea, head of the Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad, met with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, as reported by Israeli Kan radio.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu then gave the green light for further negotiations with Al Thani in Qatar, the Prime Minister’s office announced. At the same time, it was stressed that there were still points of contention between the two sides.
Qatar, Egypt and the USA are mediating in the indirect talks between Israel and Hamas. These recently reached a deadlock because Hamas had tied the release of around 120 Israeli hostages in its power to Israel ending the Gaza war. The talks resumed after the Islamists signalled a certain flexibility.
On the table is a phased plan presented by the mediating states and largely approved by Israel, which initially provides for a temporary ceasefire and the exchange of female, elderly and sick hostages for a larger number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. During the ceasefire, the sides are to negotiate an end to the war and the release of the remaining hostages.
Struggle for the steps of the plan
The latest movement in the difficult process came about because Hamas now seems to be agreeing to the phased plan. At the same time, however, Hamas is demanding a written commitment from the mediators that the negotiation phase – and thus the temporary ceasefire – will continue indefinitely if no agreement is reached within the stipulated period, as Israeli journalist Barak Ravid wrote on the portal “walla.co.il”.
Mossad director Barnea made it clear to his Qatari host in Doha that Israel could not accept this condition, Ravid wrote, citing two government officials familiar with the process. The mediators are now trying to find wording that will bridge this gap. “It is the last hurdle that must be overcome in order to get to the actual negotiations on an agreement to release the hostages,” Ravid wrote.
Israel believes that there are still around 120 hostages held by Hamas. Many of them are likely dead, however. Hamas and other extremist groups from the Gaza Strip invaded southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking another 250 hostage. The unprecedented massacre sparked the Gaza War. According to the Hamas-controlled health authority, around 38,000 Palestinians were killed in the fighting. The number includes both fighters and civilians. dpa
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