Israel approves sending negotiators for Gaza talks with mediators

CAIRO – 5 July 2024: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given his approval to send a delegation to resume negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire with mediators.

The destination for the delegation has not been announced, but previous ceasefire discussions have taken place in Cairo, Doha, or Paris over the past few months.

However, Mossad chief David Barnea traveled to Doha today to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, according to Israeli officials who spoke to the Kan public broadcaster.

Barnea is alone in Doha, as Shin Bet Head Ronen Bar and Nitzan Alon, a prominent member of the negotiating team, are not accompanying him, according to the report.

Netanyahu's office announced the decision to send negotiators following a phone call with US President Joe Biden on Thursday.

"The prime minister informed President Biden about his decision to send a delegation to continue negotiations for the release of hostages," Netanyahu's office stated in a press release.

Speaking to Reuters anonymously, a source from the Israeli negotiating team expressed optimism about reaching a deal, citing a revised proposal by Hamas regarding the terms of an agreement.

"The proposal presented by Hamas represents a significant breakthrough," the source revealed.

An Israeli official confirmed that Barnea will lead the negotiations team.

Hamas proposal

The White House stated that Biden and Netanyahu discussed the response received from Hamas regarding potential terms of a deal during their phone conversation.

"The president welcomed the prime minister’s decision to authorize his negotiators to engage with US, Qatari, and Egyptian mediators in an effort to close out the deal," the White House said in a statement.

Nevertheless, the Israeli prime minister reiterated his stance that Tel Aviv will not end the conflict until all objectives are achieved.

Hamas has insisted that any ceasefire agreement for Gaza must include an end to the hostilities, a complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the area, and the return of displaced Palestinians to their original residences.

The war, now in its ninth month, has faced limited objections and weak reservations from most Western nations.

According to Gaza's health ministry, the war has killed 38,011 Palestinians and injured 87,445 individuals.

In May, Biden outlined a three-phase ceasefire proposal, which involves a gradual and complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a prisoner exchange, and the "permanent cessation of hostilities."