Mossad chief back from Doha talks, Israel says will try to advance Gaza deal

Israel on Monday announced that the head of the Mossad spy agency has returned from discussions in Doha with his CIA counterpart and the Qatari prime minister, where they explored a new “framework” for a deal to release hostages in Gaza.

“During the meeting, the parties discussed a new unified framework that combines previous proposals and also takes into account key issues and recent developments in the region,” AFP quoted the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as saying in a statement.

“In the coming days, discussions will continue between the mediators and Hamas to assess the feasibility of talks and to further efforts to promote a deal.”

There is an Egyptian proposal to release four hostages during a two-day ceasefire on the table, as well as the Qatari-American multi-stage proposal that would ultimately see all hostages released and the war ended.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi proposed the two day ceasefire which was announced on Sunday. The proposal also includes provisions for the release of some Palestinian prisoners and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave.

Under his plan, “four hostages would be exchanged for some prisoners in Israeli jails”, followed by more negotiations within 10 days aiming to secure “a complete ceasefire and the entry of aid” into the Gaza Strip.

Sisi described the ceasefire as a means to “move the situation forward,” indicating a desire for negotiations that could eventually lead to a more permanent resolution.

Despite mounting pressure from the international community - and multiple unsuccessful efforts by mediators to secure a truce - war has raged without interruption in Gaza since a one-week truce in November 2023.

Out of 251 hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the October 7 attack, 97 are still held in Gaza, including 34 that the Israeli military says are dead.

Earlier this month, Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who Israeli and US officials as well as some analysts have said was an obstacle to reaching an accord.

Critics in Israel have also accused Netanyahu of obstructing mediation for a truce and hostage-release deal.

The Hamas attack that sparked the war resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures.

At least 43,020 Palestinians, a majority of them civilians, have been killed in Israel’s retaliatory military campaign in Gaza, according to data from the Hamas-ruled territory’s health ministry, which the UN considers reliable.

Previous talks aimed at establishing a long-term ceasefire have repeatedly stalled. Hamas insists on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza as a precondition, while Israeli PM Netanyahu has stated that military operations will continue until Hamas is dismantled.

There has been no ceasefire since last November.

With inputs from agencies