Israel to send delegation to Doha for ceasefire, prisoner swap talks

JERUSALEM/ISTANBUL

Israel said Saturday it would send a delegation to Qatar for negotiations on a ceasefire and prisoner swap deal in the Gaza Strip, where the second phase of negotiations has not yet begun.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement that a delegation would be sent to Doha on Monday to advance negotiations of the three-phase agreement that has completed the first phase.

It noted that Israel decided to send the delegation in response to an invitation from mediators, primarily the US.

US presents plan to extend ceasefire by 2 months

Israeli state television, Kan, citing an Israeli source, reported that the US initiated an effort to release 10 live prisoners held by Hamas in exchange for a 2-month extension of the ceasefire in Gaza.

The report indicated that negotiations between the US and Hamas, with the support of Qatari and Egyptian mediators, were being conducted without Israel’s involvement.

Ceasefire, prisoner swap agreement between Hamas, Israel

The ceasefire and prisoner swap agreement between Hamas and Israel took effect Jan. 19.

As part of the deal, the Netzarim Corridor in the Gaza Strip was opened to allow Palestinians to go from south to north on Jan. 27, and the Israeli army withdrew from the corridor Feb. 9.

The Rafah Border Gate between Gaza and Egypt was opened to evacuate the sick and injured on Feb. 1, after an eight-month occupation by the Israeli army.

In the first phase of the agreement, more than 1,700 Palestinian inmates were released from Israeli prisons, while 33 Israeli prisoners (25 alive, eight dead) were handed over to Israel from Gaza.

Additionally, five Thai prisoners in Gaza were also released.

Second-phase negotiations have not started

The agreement, expected to consist of three phases, was supposed to begin the second phase of negotiations on the 16th day (Feb. 3) of the 42-day first phase.

The Tel Aviv administration prevented the start of the second-phase negotiations, and after the first phase ended March 1, US President Donald Trump’s Middle East Special Representative Steve Witkoff proposed a plan to extend the first phase.

Israel said it had adopted the proposal, while Hamas rejected the plan. Israel then announced that all humanitarian aid materials were stopped from entering Gaza.