Mossad chief reportedly meets PM of Qatar for talks about hostage deal

David Barnea, the director of the Mossad, is in Doha for meetings with the prime minister of Qatar over a ceasefire and hostage deal, Channel 12 reports.

The report comes as Israel, Hamas and mediators between the two sides are making efforts to restart negotiations after the last round of talks ended in an impasse in July. Afterward, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government approved plans to invade Gaza City.

This week, Israel, Hamas, the US and a few Middle Eastern countries are meeting to discuss a deal that could end the 22-month war and free the 50 hostages terror groups are holding in Gaza, at least 20 of whom are thought to be alive.

Channel 12 reported yesterday that Israel was considering sending a negotiating team to Doha.

Today, a Saudi newspaper, citing unnamed sources, reported that Hamas told Egypt it is offering to withdraw its fighters to agreed-upon locations and “affirm its commitment to keep hostages alive,” in exchange for Israel pulling its own troops back, ending the war and dropping any plans to occupy Gaza.

Channel 12 reports that in his meeting with Prime Minister Abdulrahman al-Thani, Barnea was to emphasize that Israel is not bluffing with its plan to conquer Gaza and intends to do so unless there’s progress in the talks to free hostages.

Last week, US special envoy Steve Witkoff reportedly met the Qatari prime minister in Spain to discuss a deal to end the war.