Dead end in talks with HAMAS: Israel returns negotiating team home
David Barnea, head of the Mossad (photo: Getty Images)
The Israeli negotiating team in Qatar was ordered to return home. Negotiations to extend the truce with Hamas hit a dead end, states The Times of Israel.
“Due to the dead end in negotiations, and following instructions from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mossad head David Barnea ordered the negotiating team in Doha to return home,” says a statement from Netanyahu’s office issued on behalf of the Mossad spy agency.
HAMAS did not fulfill its obligations under the agreement, which provided for the release of all women and children who were on the list provided to the militants.
“The head of Mossad thanks the head of the CIA, Egypt’s intelligence minister, the prime minister of Qatar for their partnership and the tremendous mediation efforts that led to the release of 84 women and children from Gaza, in addition to 24 foreign nationals,” the statement says.
At the time of the ceasefire breakdown, 136 people remained hostage to HAMAS, namely:
- 114 men
- 20 women;
- 2 children.
- including 125 Israelis and 11 foreigners, including 8 from Thailand.
The war in Israel
On October 7, HAMAS militants attacked Israel. During the attack, the terrorists killed and abducted not only soldiers but also civilians. In particular, Israel was regularly shelled from the Gaza Strip. Tel Aviv, for its part, launched an operation against terrorists and offensive activity in the Gaza Strip.
On November 24, a temporary truce began between Israel and HAMAS. The parties agreed to a ceasefire for four days but decided to extend it for another two days on the condition that the militants release more hostages.
On December 1, Israel resumed hostilities in the Gaza Strip and claimed that HAMAS had violated the terms of the ceasefire.
