The Gaza cease-fire negotiating team, which includes senior officials from the Mossad, Shin Bet, and IDF, "will return to Israel from Qatar after a significant week of talks," the Prime Minister's Office reported on Tuesday evening.
"The team is returning for internal consultations in Israel regarding the continuation of the negotiations for the return of our hostages," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement, with no further details provided.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with representatives of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum
(Photo: GPO)
Negotiations for the release of hostages held by Hamas, who have been held in captivity for 445 days, are ongoing, but it remains unclear whether an agreement will be reached. The possibilities range from an immediate deal in the coming days to no agreement at all.
In Israel, officials emphasized that the return of the team after 10 days in Qatar does not indicate a breakdown in talks. Following a prolonged negotiation process, the team now needs to conduct consultations. Israeli officials are placing blame on Hamas in Gaza, particularly on the leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammed Sinwar, for creating difficulties and refusing to provide a full list of hostages, allegedly in an attempt to extract further concessions.
“There’s no collapse of the talks, but we’ve reached a point where decisions need to be made in Israel whether to continue with a deal without the lists,” said an Israeli official familiar with the details. “Hamas has consistently lied. Even last time, Hamas claimed it had no women among the hostages, which was false. The question now is whether to play into their hands. We need a solid foundation to proceed with the deal, to determine whether we are releasing prisoners in exchange for bodies or live hostages. The terms are different, and we won’t start an agreement based on lies.”
Ruby Chen, the father of soldier Itay Chen, who is among the hostages, expressed his frustration, saying he is waiting for Hamas' response. He also noted that Prime Minister Netanyahu's recent statement in The Wall Street Journal – saying he would not agree to a cease-fire until Hamas is removed – did not help foster trust between the parties.
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The gap between Israel and Hamas on the terms of the deal reportedly is not large, which allows for the possibility of an agreement. Both sides seem to agree on certain issues, such as the Philadelphi Corridor and the Rafah Crossing, as well as the terms of the cease-fire and the gradual release of hostages.
There is also consensus on what is required from Israel in the deal. What is required Hamas, however, is to release a full list of live hostages, which would include categories such as women, children, soldiers, the elderly, sick and injured.
A previous list of 33 hostages included some who have since died, and Noga Argamani, who was rescued. Israeli officials estimate that a significant number of hostages will be released in the first phase of the deal, a demand to which Hamas is refusing to agree so far.
A delicate negotiation
The key question now for Israel is whether Hamas truly wants a deal. This remains the primary point of contention in the talks and, with no clear resolution in sight, the outcome remains uncertain. It could happen tomorrow – or never.
Israeli officials believe Hamas will not give up. But the group may find it difficult to relinquish its hold on such valuable assets – its living hostages — even though its members face no real danger.
If some of the hostages are released, Hamas will be left with what is often called a "Gilad Shalit" situation, referring to the Israeli soldier released in a 2011 deal in exchange for 1,027 prisoners. This leaves many wondering what Hamas intends to do next. It is possible they believe Israel lacks the strength to press its demands.
Egyptians, Qataris and Americans are all putting pressure on Hamas, but so far, it has not responded.
While there had been optimism in recent days due to ongoing daily communication with Hamas and some progress in talks, it is now difficult to predict what will happen. According to sources, if an agreement is reached, the release of hostages would happen immediately once a cease-fire begins, with the first phase likely to take place within a day or two.