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Mossad Director David Barnea is set to meet with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al Thani, marking the first meeting between the two since Barnea was removed from his role as head of Israel’s negotiating team for a potential hostage deal. Israeli officials have not disclosed the date or location of the meeting.
The planned meeting comes amid ongoing efforts to reach an agreement that would secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Separately, Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned Thursday that Israel may escalate its military campaign in Gaza if there is no progress on the hostage issue.
“If we do not see progress in the return of the hostages, we will expand our operations into an even more intense and significant phase until we reach a decisive outcome,” Zamir said during a visit to the Gaza Strip.
Zamir accused Hamas of bearing full responsibility for the war and for the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza. “Hamas is responsible for starting this war, it is now cruelly holding the hostages, and it is responsible for the dire situation of the population in Gaza,” he said.
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“Hamas is mistaken about our capabilities, our intentions, and our determination—just like [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah and his command group.”