PALESTINE
Sat 11 Jan 2025 8:14 pm - Jerusalem Time
Netanyahu decides to send a delegation including the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet to Qatar
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced on Saturday that the latter had decided to send a delegation including Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar to the Qatari capital, Doha, to continue indirect negotiations with Hamas regarding a prisoner exchange deal.
"Netanyahu directed that a senior security delegation be sent to Doha (no date given) to continue negotiations on a prisoner exchange deal," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
The statement added: "The delegation includes the heads of Mossad David Barnea, Shin Bet Ronen Bar, retired Major General Nitzan Alon (head of the missing persons file in the Israeli army), and (Netanyahu's) political advisor, Ofir Falic."
He continued: "The visit aims to advance negotiations to achieve progress in the prisoner exchange deal and recover the Israelis held by Hamas."
On Saturday, the private Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth quoted informed sources (unnamed) as saying that “90 percent of the details of the potential prisoner exchange deal have been agreed upon.”
The sources indicated that "it is expected that efforts will be intensified between all parties in the coming days with the aim of reaching an agreement before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office, especially in light of his repeated threats, which he reiterated, saying that if the prisoners do not return to their homes, the Middle East will witness unprecedented repercussions."
The newspaper said, "Following the progress in the exchange deal talks, Steve Witkoff, Trump's envoy, made a surprise visit to Israel on Saturday, where he met with Netanyahu."
She added: "Wittkov confirmed to Netanyahu his optimism that a deal could be reached soon."
According to the newspaper, Witkov pointed out that "the main obstacle lies in Hamas's doubts about American commitments, especially with the approach of the change of the American administration" on January 20, when Trump takes office.
On Friday, the Hebrew Channel Kan quoted unnamed informed foreign sources as saying that "Tel Aviv agreed to advance negotiations on the second phase of the prisoner swap deal in parallel with the implementation of the first phase, with the aim of ensuring the continuity of the process until all prisoners are released."
Although the details of the first and second phases of the potential deal are still unannounced, Hebrew media outlets, including the official broadcasting authority, say that the first phase includes the release of the elderly and the sick, while the second phase includes the release of soldiers.
The prisoner exchange negotiations, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, have stumbled more than once, due to Netanyahu’s insistence on maintaining control over the Philadelphi Corridor on the border between Gaza and Egypt, and the Rafah crossing in Gaza, and preventing the return of Palestinian faction fighters to northern Gaza by searching returnees through the Netzarim corridor in the middle of the Strip.
For its part, Hamas insists on a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a complete cessation of war, in order to accept any agreement.
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Netanyahu decides to send a delegation including the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet to Qatar