Israel to send team to Doha next week to negotiate deal with Hamas

The Israeli government announced on Friday that it will send its negotiating team to Doha next week to continue indirect negotiations with Hamas on a truce agreement and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip.

“It has been determined that a team will leave next week to continue negotiations. There are still gaps between the parties,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

Mossad chief David Barnea returned to Israel on Friday evening after a whirlwind visit to Doha today where he met with Qatari Prime Minister and top diplomat Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al Thani to discuss the proposal put forward by Hamas on Wednesday, which would include the release of the 116 hostages remaining inside the Strip.

Barnea, who traveled alone without the full negotiating delegation, will return to Qatar with the entire team, including the head of the Shin Bet – the internal security agency – Ronen Bar; and Major General Nitzan Alon, who oversees the talks on behalf of the Army.

Netanyahu on Thursday authorized the dispatch of a negotiating team to Qatar to analyze the proposal submitted by Hamas on Wednesday night, which Israeli officials described as “essentially positive,” although they are cautious about the possibility of an agreement.

According to the sources consulted, the proposal consists of three stages that include the gradual release of hostages – starting with children and civilian women – the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the release of Palestinian prisoners and the reconstruction of the devastated enclave, where more than 38,000 people have died since October 7.

Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh presented mediators from Qatar and Egypt “ideas aimed at achieving a ceasefire” in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday evening, and sources within the group stressed their “constructive and positive” spirit, but insisted that they would not accept any pact that does not lead to a definitive cessation of hostilities.

Since October, Israel and Hamas have only reached a one-week truce agreement, during which 105 hostages were freed in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

Hezbollah sources have said that a ceasefire agreement in Gaza would automatically be replicated on the border between Israel and Lebanon, which is experiencing its highest peak of tension since 2006 and where more than 510 people have died, most of them on the Lebanese side and in the ranks of the Shiite militia.