An Israeli official familiar with the details of the ongoing negotiations in Qatar regarding a prisoner exchange deal and a ceasefire in the war on Gaza said, “Israel took a step forward in the negotiations in Qatar by agreeing to the keys to liberate (Palestinian prisoners) more than the Paris proposal in exchange for kidnapped persons,” he was quoted as saying. Channel 12 today, Sunday.

The Israeli official added that the Israeli delegation in the negotiations began discussing the possibility of the population returning to the northern Gaza Strip within the framework of the deal.

The same official stated that the officials in the Israeli delegation who returned to Israel, including the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, the head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, and the person responsible for the captured soldiers in Gaza, Nitzan Alon, are waiting for Hamas’ response, and will return to Qatar to continue negotiations if “the response will allow.” "With progress."

Before the Israeli delegation headed to Qatar, last Friday, a dispute arose in the war cabinet, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to reduce the mandate granted to the negotiating delegation, while the rest of the members of the war cabinet supported granting the delegation a broad mandate, which led Netanyahu to retract his position on this matter. 

The head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, had threatened not to travel to Qatar if the delegation did not have “real room to maneuver.”

Meanwhile, the families of the hostages held in Gaza and those in solidarity with them are escalating their protests against Netanyahu and demanding a prisoner exchange deal be reached as quickly as possible, threatening to “ignite Israel,” following mass demonstrations yesterday, if the delay in reaching a deal continues.