Israel nixes Mossad chief's visit to Doha for hostage talks resumption
Israeli Director of the Mossad, David Barnea, will not be journeying to Doha, Qatar, for discussions regarding the release of hostages held by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, according to sources.
Israeli news channel Channel 13 reported on Wednesday that the Israeli cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had called off the visit, and high-ranking Israeli officials would refrain from traveling to Doha to renew the negotiations.
CNN contacted Prime Minister Netanyahu's office for comment regarding the cancellation of Barnea's trip. The Mossad operates directly under Israel's premier.
On October 7, Hamas launched an attack on Israel, capturing approximately 240 individuals, ranging from infants to people in their eighties. Although numerous hostages were released, many remain missing, believed to be in the custody of militant Palestinian organizations and other groups in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Premier Minister's office estimates that 135 hostages still remain in Gaza, with 116 of them still alive. Following the failure of the hostage negotiations in Doha at the beginning of the month, official negotiations have not resumed.
However, Israel, the United States, and Qatar are still engaging in discussions about how to rekindle the negotiations, according to several sources. "We never stopped," said a source familiar with the negotiations.
The families of some of the Israeli hostages are displeased with the decision to rescind the trip, demanding answers. "We cannot bear this indifference and stalemate," they stated in a statement.
The statement continued, "We were shocked to learn that the Mossad chief's request to negotiate an agreement for the release of the hostages was denied." "This statement was given despite the parents' request for a meeting with the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister, which has yet to be addressed."
Barnea has been entrusted with managing Israeli hostage negotiations, while his American counterpart, CIA Director Bill Burns, carries out the same role for the United States.
There are believed to be eight American citizens among the hostages, and the United States, along with Qatar, which has maintained contacts with Hamas, has taken up a mediator role.
On Wednesday, the families of the American hostages met with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington. According to a family member, they also met with Burns at the CIA. A U.S. official confirmed the CIA meeting.
On Wednesday, a source familiar with the negotiations informed CNN that Hamas was responding slowly to "offers of the last few days to resume hostage negotiations."
According to a source, Qatar had relayed new ideas to Hamas in an attempt to free more hostages from the Gaza Strip, including a potential agreement that would not only release the remaining female hostages but also the male hostages. Sources privy to the negotiations and a high-level U.S. official corroborated this information.
The high-ranking U.S. official stated, "There are no active negotiations, but of course, we are considering how to advance the process."
Additional contributions come from Tamar Michaelis, Kaitlan Collins, and Katie Bo Lillis of CNN.
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Critical Background
The ongoing conflict between Israel, the United States, and Qatar over resuming hostage talks with Hamas in the Middle East continues, according to unnamed sources. Following the cancellation of Mossad Chief David Barnea's trip to Doha, nations are exploring new avenues to reinitiate negotiations and potentially reach a resolution.
Sources:
Insights:
- New Delegation: Following the cancellation of Barnea's trip, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer leads the Israeli delegation for the second phase of talks, replacing Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, Mossad Director David Barnea, and Maj.-Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon.[1]
- International Involvement: Senior officials from Israel, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt are preparing for talks to discuss the next phase of the Gaza hostage deal. Participants will include key figures such as US President Donald Trump’s Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and Egypt’s intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. Hassan Mahmoud Rashad.[1]
- Intermediate Goals: The main objective is to secure the release of additional hostages, including six living hostages scheduled for release on Saturday and the return of eight deceased hostages’ bodies in the coming days.[1]
- Shift in Negotiations: The new delegation has reportedly altered the dynamics of the negotiations, focusing on more assertive and less yielding strategies. Critics argue this has resulted in a stronger and less entrenched position for Hamas.[1]
- International Pressure: The international community, including Western nations and Arab states, is exerting pressure on Israel to act reasonably in the challenging Gaza situation, with some countries prepared to recognize a Palestinian state independently of an agreement with Israel.[3]
These initiatives aim to restart the hostage negotiations and potentially lead to a more stable outcome in the region.
