The Israeli war cabinet has given the green light to continue negotiations on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages held by Hamas. As Israeli media reported on Sunday night, an Israeli delegation is scheduled to travel to Qatar in the coming days.
Before the war cabinet’s decision, the heads of the Israeli foreign secret service Mossad, David Barnea, and the domestic secret service Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, met in Paris for talks with representatives of the USA and key mediators from Egypt and Qatar. “The delegation has returned from Paris, there appears to be room to move closer to an agreement,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, told N12 television ahead of the meeting. Israel is pushing for the release of all hostages held by Israel Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas, especially women. Hanegbi emphasized that “such an agreement does not mean the end of the war.”
Meanwhile, Netanyahu reiterated in a statement his plan to send Israeli soldiers to the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, despite widespread concerns. “Early next week, I will convene the Cabinet to approve the operational plans for Rafah, including the evacuation of the civilian population,” said the Prime Minister. In his view, “only a combination of military pressure and decisive negotiations will lead to the release of our hostages, to the elimination of the Hamas and to achieve all war goals”.
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