Ceasefire in Gaza? High-ranking representatives are probably on their way to Qatar

According to media reports, senior Israeli and US government officials are traveling to Qatar for ongoing Gaza ceasefire talks. The head of Israel’s foreign intelligence agency Mossad, David Barnea, is expected in Doha on Monday, the Ynet news site reported. In addition, a correspondent for the US news site Axios wrote that the White House’s Middle East coordinator, Brett McGurk, had also traveled to the Qatari capital.

Both could mean that a possible agreement is getting closer. However, such signs of hope have appeared several times in recent months without any breakthrough being achieved.

The new round of negotiations that began on Friday at a medium level with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the USA is in “full swing” after the recent publication of another hostage video by Hamas, wrote Ynet. Barnea will “probably” join the talks on Monday. An unnamed Palestinian official spoke of a “decisive day,” wrote Ynet.

According to unconfirmed reports, Israel has submitted a list of names of 34 living hostages who must be released in a first phase. However, Hamas initially wants to exchange fewer of the 100 hostages, many of whom are already dead, for Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas also insists that Israel commit to a permanent end to the Gaza war and the withdrawal of all ground troops from the coastal strip. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects both.