According to informed sources, an Israeli delegation led by Mossad chief David Barnea has headed to Doha to participate in talks aimed at reaching a truce agreement in Gaza and releasing hostages. Barnea is scheduled to meet with the Qatari Prime Minister to discuss ways to bring the concerned parties’ views closer together.
In a significant development, a senior U.S. official expressed optimism about the existence of an “important opportunity” to reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and free the hostages. The official, who preferred to remain anonymous, indicated that the latest proposals submitted by Hamas could form a basis for reaching an agreement, while emphasizing that this does not necessarily mean the deal will be concluded in the coming days.
Following a phone conversation between U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the latter decided to send a delegation to negotiate the release of hostages held in Gaza. This decision came in the wake of Hamas announcing “new ideas” to end the war.
Despite cautious optimism, the U.S. official stressed that there is “a lot of work” to be done regarding implementation steps, describing the process as “difficult”. The talks are scheduled to take place in the Qatari capital, Doha.