Israeli premier likely to send delegation to Doha for hostage exchange talks

By Khaled Yousef

ISTANBUL (AA) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is likely to send a Mossad delegation to Doha, Qatar, to continue negotiations on a hostage exchange deal with Hamas and a cease-fire in Gaza, reported an Israeli TV channel on Saturday.

According to Channel 13, Netanyahu is anticipated to decide within hours whether he will allow Mossad Director David Barnea to travel to Qatar. The decision comes after Netanyahu on Friday met with Israel’s security leaders and discussed the issue of detainees.

The channel noted that Netanyahu is inclined to approve the delegation's departure to Doha due to the progress made in the negotiations so far.

The channel quoted an unnamed senior Israeli official as saying that if Netanyahu gives the final approval, the Israeli delegation could leave the next day.

Repeated negotiations for a hostage exchange between Israel and Hamas, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, have been hindered by new conditions imposed by Netanyahu or his backtracking on previous agreements.

The Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed over 46,000 people, mostly women and children, since Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.

In November 2024, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi