Report: Hostage negotiating team’s mandate has shrunk since Katz appointed defense minister

The mandate of Israel’s hostage negotiators has shrunk since Israel Katz was appointed defense minister earlier this month, a member of the negotiation team told hostage families during a meeting this week, according to a Channel 12 report.

The hostage families then asked about Katz’s claim to reporters that a breakthrough had taken place in the talks after Hamas agreed to forgo its demand for an up-front Israeli commitment to end the war as part of a hostage deal.

The hostage negotiator responded that Katz’s claim was inaccurate and that Hamas’s position on ending the war has not changed. It is still willing to agree to a phased ceasefire deal that has been discussed since May, the negotiator said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he opposes ending the war in exchange for the hostages.

Channel 12 also reports that Israel’s security establishment believes that a deal with Hamas will not be possible until after a ceasefire is inked with Hezbollah. The hope is that the latter deal will lead to progress on the former, an official tells the network.