Israel not sending Mossad chief to Qatar for new hostage deal with Hamas

By Bekir Aydogan

ERBIL, Iraq (AA) – The war Cabinet in Israel refused to send its intelligence chief to Qatar for a prisoner exchange agreement with Hamas, saying they would wait for a signal from Hamas, according to Israeli media.

In a report by Channel 13, it was revealed that the war Cabinet is facing disagreements regarding ongoing efforts to reach a new understanding with Hamas on a prisoner exchange.

According to the report, the Cabinet opposed the recent proposal to send Mossad chief David Barnea to Qatar to advance the negotiations.

Benny Gantz, a member of the war Cabinet, was in favor of Israel taking the initiative in negotiating the exchange. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant believe that Israel should await signals from Hamas.

Earlier, local media reported Israel is ready to resume contact with mediators for the possible release of other Israeli captives held in Gaza.

The new prisoner exchange deal would be carried out within the framework of a humanitarian truce and include women still in captivity, patients, and the wounded and elderly people, said Israel’s Channel 12.

The channel quoted a military source as saying that the intensity of fighting has begun to open a path for a possible prisoner swap that must not be missed.

During the weeklong humanitarian pause in Gaza, a prisoner swap took place under Qatari, Egyptian, and US mediation which resulted in the release of 84 Israelis and 24 foreigners in exchange for releasing 240 Palestinians from Israeli jails, including 71 women and 169 children.

Israel has bombarded the Gaza Strip from the air and land, imposed a siege, and mounted a ground offensive in retaliation for a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 18,787 Palestinians have been killed and 50,897 injured in the Israeli onslaught since then, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack, while around 139 hostages remain in captivity.