Live Update arrow right icon From the Liveblog of Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Report: Israel won’t send delegation back to Cairo this week for further hostage talks

By Lazar Berman 14 February 2024, 3:42 pm 1 Edit

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Ronen Bar head of the Shin Bet security services (L) with Mossad chief David Barnea at the annual IDF memorial ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War at Yad La-Shiryon, September 27, 2023. (Jonathan Shaul/Flash90)
Ronen Bar head of the Shin Bet security services (L) with Mossad chief David Barnea at the annual IDF memorial ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War at Yad La-Shiryon, September 27, 2023. (Jonathan Shaul/Flash90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not send a delegation back to Cairo tomorrow for further talks on a hostage deal with Hamas, Walla reports.

Egypt and Qatar are looking to build momentum in the talks, and are looking to hold meetings tomorrow that avoid the main sticking point: the number of Palestinian prisoners Israel has to release in a potential deal. According to the report, tomorrow’s talks would focus on humanitarian aspects of an agreement.

The heads of the Mossad and Shin Bet, and Netanyahu’s diplomatic adviser, were in Cairo yesterday for the negotiations. A source in the Prime Minister’s Office told The Times of Israel that they were there to listen and nothing more.

Netanyahu doesn’t see any point in sending another delegation until Hamas changes its demands around a prisoner release, reports Walla.

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