Israelis attend a rally calling for the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at “Hostage Square” in Tel Aviv, June 22, 2024. (Photo: Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to send a negotiation team to Qatar to continue the stalled hostage deal talks with Hamas leaders, Israeli media reported on Thursday.
The decision came amid a rekindled hope that the talks might be successful after Hamas submitted a new proposal earlier in the week that seemingly showed readiness to compromise.
On Thursday evening, Israel’s security cabinet met to discuss the hostage talks, while Netanyahu spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden by phone to update him on the latest developments
According to the Axios news outlet, Biden told Netanyahu it was “time to close” the deal, while the Israeli leader reiterated his “commitment to ending the war only after all of its goals have been achieved,” according to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Biden “welcomed the Prime Minister’s decision to authorize his negotiators to engage with U.S., Qatari, and Egyptian mediators in an effort to close out the deal,” the White House stated.
However, indicating that the negotiations might require more time despite cautious optimism, the KAN news site reported Friday morning that Mossad Director David Barnea traveled to Qatar alone, without the rest of the negotiation team.
According to the report, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar and Maj.-Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, who usually participates in the talks, did not accompany Barnea on the trip. Officials told KAN that the expectations for success should be lowered.
A senior White House official told Axios: “We believe there is an opportunity now. It is not only in the hands of the Israelis but also in the hands of the mediators and in the hands of Hamas.”
He added that Biden and his team studied Hamas’ response and concluded that it “moves the process forward” while being a possible basis for an agreement.
The three-stage deal Biden proposed at the end of May continues to be the framework for the current talks. Hamas initially took issue with several details, including the transition from the first to the second phase of the plan.
On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told the families of hostages held by Palestinian terrorists in Gaza that Israel was “closer than ever” to reaching a deal with Hamas, according to Channel 12 News.
“A month ago I was pessimistic about our chances of reaching a deal anytime soon. One of my prime goals in all of my meetings in the United States was to put pressure on Hamas to come to a deal with the understanding that there’s not going to be a better deal,” Gallant said. “Today, and I’m saying this cautiously, we’re closer than ever.”
Security officials told Ynet News that while the prime minister was leaning toward accepting the deal, he was concerned the far-right elements of his coalition, particularly Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, could torpedo the agreement by threatening to leave the government.
Against this backdrop, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah welcomed a Hamas delegation, led by Yahya Sinwar’s deputy leader, Khalil Al-Hayya, to discuss the situation in Gaza and the latest ceasefire talks, Hezbollah stated.
