Israel's Mossad recalls negotiating team in Qatar as truce talks with Hamas hit 'dead-end'
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Dec 2, 2023, 8:26 PM ISTMossad recalls negotiating team as truce talks with Hamas in Qatar collapse due to unmet obligations, leaving hostages in Gaza and raising concerns about regional stability.
Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, has ordered its negotiating team to return home from Qatar, citing a "dead end" in talks aimed at extending a truce. The negotiations, which involved the release of hostages held by Gaza terror groups, took an unexpected downturn as Hamas allegedly failed to fulfill its obligations under the agreement.
A rare statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, issued on behalf of Mossad, revealed that the decision to recall the negotiating team was made following instructions from the Prime Minister himself. The statement attributed the breakdown in negotiations to Hamas' failure to release all the women and children specified in the agreed-upon list.
Latest Videos
"Due to the dead end in negotiations, and following instructions from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mossad head David Barnea ordered the negotiating team in Doha to return home," said the statement from Netanyahu’s office issued on behalf of the spy agency.
"The Hamas terror group did not fulfill its obligations under the agreement that included releasing all the women and children that were on the list provided to Hamas that had authorized it," the statement declared.
Despite the setback, Mossad expressed gratitude to key mediators involved in the negotiation process. The head of Mossad, David Barnea, specifically thanked the head of the CIA, Egypt's intelligence minister, and the prime minister of Qatar for their partnership and the "tremendous mediation efforts" that resulted in the release of 84 women and children from Gaza, along with 24 foreign nationals.
However, as the truce collapsed, 136 people, including 114 men, 20 women, and two children, remained held hostage by Gaza terror groups. Notably, 125 of the hostages are Israeli citizens, with the remaining 11 being foreign nationals, including eight from Thailand. Disturbingly, ten of the hostages are 75 years or older.
The sudden breakdown in negotiations underscores the delicate nature of truce agreements in the region and the challenges in achieving lasting peace. The international community will be closely monitoring developments as tensions rise once again in the Israel-Gaza conflict, with the fate of the remaining hostages hanging in the balance.
As the situation continues to evolve, questions loom over the potential resumption of negotiations, the role of international actors, and the broader implications for regional stability. The failure to extend the truce raises concerns about the prospects for a sustainable and enduring peace in the troubled region.
subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here. For more reliable and latest news
subscribe to Asianet Newsable Telegram channel by clicking here.