Israel’s and Qatari officials are set to meet in Norway to revive negotiations concerning the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The talks aim to establish a ceasefire and secure the freedom of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was scheduled to meet with David Barnea, director of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, in Oslo, with the discussions characterized as exploratory.
The report suggests that David Barnea is also expected to engage with Egyptian officials as both nations navigate significant obstacles in resuming negotiations for a new hostage deal. Recent challenges include disagreements within Hamas over potential terms. The talks come after the Israeli military acknowledged the accidental killing of three hostages, leading to investigations and public protests in Tel Aviv.
During a week-long truce in late November, Hamas released over 100 hostages, including women, children, and foreigners held in Gaza, in exchange for the release of 240 women and teenagers. The resumption of talks reflects ongoing efforts to address the complex dynamics in the region and find diplomatic solutions to the ongoing Israel-Hamas tensions.
The incident prompting the negotiations involved the mistaken killing of three hostages by the Israeli military during operations in Gaza City. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, described the situation as an “unbearable tragedy,” leading to public outcry and protests. The military has initiated a review of the incident, emphasizing the learning of immediate lessons to prevent such occurrences in the future.
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Source: Hindustan Times
