Israeli officials said on Sunday that there was no crisis in the negotiations to bring about the release of hostages from Hamas captivity. They said that although the Israeli delegation returned from Qatar overnight, they would travel back to Dohan when the Hamas response is delivered, which is usually a matter of a few days.
The United States has made a "bridging proposal" for the number of jailed Palestinians to be released by Israel in exchange for every hostage freed by Hamas in any new Gaza truce, an Israeli official briefed on the Qatar-hosted talks said on Saturday. He said Israel responded positively but the Hamas response was pending.
An Israeli delegation led by Mossad chief David Barnea was in Doha for indirect negotiations with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which CIA director William Burns is helping Qatari and Egyptian officials to mediate.
"During the negotiations, significant gaps came to light on the question of the ratio" of prisoners to be released for each of the 40 hostages whose potential recovery is under discussion, said an Israeli official, who requested anonymity.
"The United States put a bridging proposal on the table, to which Israel responded positively. Hamas' response is pending."
Israeli officials have said they will likely have to agree to the release of a larger number of more senior Palestinian militants
The families of hostages and captives who were released in the November exchange held their weekly vigil in Tel Aviv on Saturday demanding that the government bring about the release of those still held in Gaza for now 170 days. Their demand was that the delegation to the negotiations for a hostage release deal in Qatar, not return without an agreement to bring their loved ones' home.
"It is inconceivable that my country continues to ignore the hostages, this is the worse thing I could have ever believed would happen here," said Adina Moshe who was freed in November after being held captive for 49 days. "This is unacceptable in our Jewish faith and anywhere else in the world," she said.
Raising her voice in a cry Moshe said the indifference she is seeing must stop.
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Adina Moshe speaking at the weekly vigil of the families of hostages demanding their release
(Photo: Dana Kopel)
"I was there, and it was horrible. I don't care who is in leadership, none of them are my leaders. This flag is no longer mine," she said calling for new leadership that could get the hostages out. "I call on the prime minister who is still mine. You neglected us on October 7 and continue to do so."
Some family members of the hostages then joined a protest demanding new elections and the removal of the government they say was responsible for the October 7 massacre.
The protesters lit fire on a major city thoroughfare and blocked firefighters sent to put them out. The family members called out the names of 134 Israelis held by Hamas and said 134 coffins will not portray a victory.
Anti-government protests also took place outside the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Caesarea and in Jerusalem