Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has approved sending 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.
On Saturday evening, Netanyahu’s office announced the decision. 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 Hamas. His presence means high-level Israeli officials who would need to sign off on any agreement are now involved.
Also being sent to Qatar are the head of Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency and military and political advisers.
Netanyahu’s office said the decision followed a meeting with his defense minister, security chiefs and negotiators “on behalf of the outgoing and incoming U.S. administrations.”
The office also released a photo showing Netanyahu with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, who was in Qatar this week.
Families of the about 100 captives still held in Gaza are pressing Netanyahu to reach a deal to bring them back amid fears that time is running out.
Israel and Hamas are also under pressure from the outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden and Trump to reach a deal before the Jan. 20 inauguration.
Speaking from Paris, France on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken maintained that an agreement was “very close” and he hoped to complete it before handing over diplomacy to the incoming Trump administration.
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Issues in the talks have included which captives 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 centers in Gaza.
Since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza in October 7, 2023, more than 46,500 Palestinians have been killed and 109,571 others injured, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
