Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed a delegation of high-ranking officials to join ongoing negotiations in Qatar aimed at reaching a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages held in Palestinian territories, according to an official statement from his office.
Mossad chief David Barnea © Mena Today
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed a delegation of high-ranking officials to join ongoing negotiations in Qatar aimed at reaching a ceasefire and securing the release of hostages held in Palestinian territories, according to an official statement from his office.
Netanyahu convened a meeting in Jerusalem with key figures including Steve Witkoff, the special envoy for the Middle East of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, a representative from the outgoing U.S. administration, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, and top Israeli security officials.
Following this meeting, Netanyahu instructed Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, Reserve General Nitzan Alon, and his foreign policy advisor Ophir Falk to travel to Doha to continue pushing for an agreement for the release of Israeli hostages.
This move has been welcomed by the Hostages Families Forum, the main association representing the relatives of those abducted. Regular demonstrations have been held every Saturday evening across major Israeli cities demanding the safe return of the hostages.
"We urge the delegation to seize this historic opportunity to secure the release of all our loved ones," the Forum stated. "They must do everything in their power to return with an agreement that brings back every last hostage."
Indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas resumed last weekend in Qatar, focusing on a potential ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages. Until now, Israel had not been represented by senior officials in these discussions.
These talks center on the release of hostages abducted during Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israeli territory on October 7, 2023. According to Israeli sources, this attack resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, primarily civilians. On that day, 251 individuals were kidnapped; of these, 94 remain in captivity in Gaza, with 34 confirmed dead by the Israeli military.
As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration approaches on January 20, outgoing President Joe Biden recently noted "real progress" in the negotiations. Trump, meanwhile, has warned of severe consequences in the region if the hostages are not freed before he assumes office.
The United Nation's Palestinian refugee agency said on Sunday it had been ordered by Israel to vacate premises and cease all of its operations in East Jerusalem by Thursday.
United Airlines is expected to resume its flights to Israel in February, with industry sources suggesting a tentative restart date of February 22.
The Israeli army remains deployed in southern Lebanon as of Sunday, despite the expiration of the 60-day withdrawal deadline agreed upon in a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah.
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