An Israeli official said on Monday that negotiations for a hostage release deal would be a long and complicated process. He spoke soon after the delegation headed by Mossad Chief David Barnea left for Qatar. "We must be patient. It is important that the families of hostages understand that we are working around the clock, but this will take time," he said.
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Israel's cabinet on Sunday approved the participation in the talks in Doha which will be through the Qatari and Egyptian mediators. Barnea is expected to return to Israel overnight, leaving a team from Mossad, the Shin Bet and military intelligence, behind, but will oversea the process remotely. He will fly back to Qatar at a later date, as required.
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Yahya Sinwar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, David Barnea
(Photo: Reuters, EPA, Yariv Katz)
Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who was expected to attend the negotiations, remains in Israel likely because of the ongoing operation at the Al Shifa hospital in Gaza. According to the IDF spokesperson, some 200 suspected terrorists were arrested in the facility. Bar's decision to stay in Israel may also be due to the increased security tension during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
The Israeli delegation was given red-lines in their mandate to attend the negotiations. According to officials, the cabinet ministers gave the team some leeway, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set limits on the delegation's ability to negotiate the number of Palestinian prisoners that would be released from Israeli jails in exchange for hostages.
While Barnea believes the mandate given the Israeli delegation is enough to move the process forward, other officials believe the limitations were excessive. General Nitzan Alon, who has been part of Israel's negotiation team, reportedly considered remaining in Israel and indicated that the cabinet was missing an opportunity to bring about the release of hostages held in Gaza since October 7. One senior official said the mandate was "good enough," in order to see how serious Hamas was in its intentions to reach a deal.
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Families of hostages hold rally calling for the government to secure their release
(Photo: Dana Kopel)
In the cabinet meeting, far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich opposed Israel's participation in the negotiations. Ben-Gvir said Israel should not negotiate with Hamas and should launch its assault on Rafah, instead.
Members of the delegations cautioned against the resumption of the talks causing too much optimism among the families of the hostages, who have been demonstrating daily in demand of a hostage release deal.
"This is the first time we are going to hold details negotiations and every dotted I and crossed T is important. Therefore, it would take time," a member of the delegation said.
There is Hamas in Gaza, in the tunnels and Hamas outside, with senior members living in Qatar. It takes 24 to 36 hours to get messages from one to the other," he said. "We are negotiating with Sinwar, not with those living outside the Strip, who do not have the power or ability to make decisions. We must lower expectations."
In Washington, officials were optimistic a deal could be reached. A senior administration official said on Monday that the parties would reach an agreement that would include a cease-fire, despite the obstacles. "All sides, including Israel, Hamas, Qatar and Egypt, feel the pressure from Washington. We will not take no for an answer," the official said.
U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in his briefing on Monday that although Hamas has made new demands, some seen as excessive, he was hopeful a solution could be found once the talks begin. Sullivan said the matter was raised in the conversation between U.S. President Joe Biden and Netanyahu earlier on Monday.
The question of how many Palestinian prisoners would be released is one of the main sticking points in the negotiations but a compromise could be reached based on the 2011 deal for the release of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit who was held captive by Hamas for five years. Then Israel was able to veto certain names of convicted murderers demanded by Hamas
The terror group demanded that it be able to name 150 prisoners, including murderers serving multiple life sentences, in exchange for five female soldiers it is holding hostage. Another demand is to allow the return of Gazans to the northern areas of the Strip after they evacuated to escape the fighting there. Israel rejected the demand claiming it would be a victory for Hamas but would agree to a gradual return of women and children.
The negotiations in Doha are to be based on the agreements reached with Israel in Paris last month, outlining a deal that includes a six-week pause in the fighting during which time 40 of the hostages, women, children and the elderly, would be freed, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Israel refused at first to attend talks in Cairo after Hamas responded to the Paris outline giving only partial answers. Last week, Hamas gave a new response which according to the New York Times, was a departure from earlier demands for a complete end to the war. The terror group demanded the release of 800 prisoners in exchange for 40 hostages: five female soldiers, seven women, 15 elderly men and 13 others who were injured or sick.
Israel also opposes the Hamas demand to receive assurances from Russia and Turkey for the agreement. Hamas also refuses to provide the names of Hostages who are still alive and are to be included in the first exchange. The terrorists demand a week without fighting before the release, claiming only then it would be able to collect the names of the hostages.
In Israel, this demand is seen as an attempt at a deception, similar to the Hamas behavior during the November hostage release deal, when the terrorists claimed they did not have 10 live women and children among the captives, a claim Israel doubted.