Ahmed Asmar
21 March 2024•Update: 21 March 2024
ANKARA
Israel's intelligence chief David Barnea is scheduled to fly to Qatar on Friday to continue talks with Qatari and Egyptian mediators about a possible cease-fire in Gaza and a hostage swap deal with the Palestinian group Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister's office said in a briefed statement that Mossad chief Barnea is expected to meet with Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel, and US CIA Director William Burns.
On Tuesday, Barnea departed Doha following a one-day visit where he discussed efforts for a hostage swap deal and a cease-fire in Gaza.
No breakthroughs were announced, but he kept an Israeli technical team in the Qatari capital.
Qatar, along with Egypt and the US, is mediating between Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement on a Gaza truce and hostage-prisoner swap.
Hamas, which is believed to be holding nearly 130 Israeli hostages, demands an end to Israel’s ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip in return for any hostage deal with Israel.
A previous deal in Nov. 2023 saw the release of 81 Israelis and 24 foreigners in exchange for 240 Palestinians, including 71 women and 169 children.
Israel has waged a deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack last October, which killed 1,200 people.
Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and over 74,000 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.
The Israeli war has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide, and guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
