Hostage talks on hold until after Iran strike, replacement of Haniyeh — officials tell ToI

DOHA, Qatar — The negotiations between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire-hostage release deal are effectively on hold and will not pick up until after Iran launches its promised retaliation against Israel for its alleged assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, and until after the terror group selects a replacement for the politburo chief, two officials familiar with the matter tell The Times of Israel.

The Iranian response could arrive as early as Monday night, while Hamas is expected to announce a new leader in the coming days, the two sources say.

Qatari, Egyptian and US mediators will then resume efforts to negotiate a deal but believe that it will be much more difficult following Haniyeh’s assassination, the sources say, adding that Hamas has not shown any interest in resuming talks before a replacement is decided on.

An Israeli negotiating team was in Cairo over the weekend, but this was largely for bilateral talks with Egypt over the IDF’s deployment in the Philadelphi Corridor and at the Rafah Crossing, one of the officials says, noting that Hamas was not part of these discussions, even indirectly, and that no progress was made.

Qatar did not have any representatives at the Saturday meeting as it did not focus on the hostage file, the officials say.