High-level Israeli delegation in Qatar in sign of ceasefire progress

JERUSALEM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sent the director of the Mossad foreign intelligence agency to ceasefire negotiations in Qatar in a sign of progress in talks on the war in Gaza.

The Israeli departing late on Jan. 11 included Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet director Ron Bar, army’s hostage point man and Netanyahu’s political adviser Ophir Falk. There is U.S. pressure for a deal before the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20. Barnea's presence means high-level Israeli officials who would need to sign off on any agreement are now involved.

The details of the Gaza ceasefire and a prisoner swap deal between Israel and the Hamas group are "almost complete," an Israeli newspaper reported, saying that 90 percent of the agreement have been agreed upon.

The sources claimed that the main sticking point between the two parties is that Hamas wants "guarantees" that Israel implements the second phase of the deal and links it with the first phase.

The newspaper added that Hamas is concerned that Netanyahu may resume war after completion of the deal's first phase.

Netanyahu met with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff in Jerusalem. Witkoff met in Doha on Jan. 10 with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who briefed him on the ongoing negotiations, before he traveled to Israel.

Witkoff was set to return to Qatar to participate in the negotiations, a source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel.

According to Israeli media reports, Witkoff emphasized to Netanyahu that Trump wants a hostage deal by his inauguration on Jan. 20. Trump’s envoy stressed that both sides must show flexibility to get an agreement across the finish line.

The recovery of two hostages’ bodies in the past week renewed fears that time is running out.

An Israeli woman had directly addressed Hamas in Arabic in a video, asking for a sign that her husband David was still alive, over 450 days after he was taken to the Palestinian territory.

"Netanyahu has not decided yet. Time is running out," Hamas' armed branch responded.