Gaza cease-fire talks begin in Doha without Hamas

The Israeli negotiating team on the Gaza war arrived Thursday in Doha to continue talks on a potential deal for a cease-fire and hostage and prisoner-release deal, a meeting that Hamas representatives will not attend. 

The Israeli team — including Mossad Director David Barnea, Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar,  military coordinator on the hostages Nitzan Alon and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political adviser Ofir Fleck — is expected to meet with CIA Director William Burns, Egyptian intelligence Director Abbas Kamel and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. Netanyahu will convene his security cabinet Thursday, at 9:00 p.m. local time, to discuss developments in the talks, which could extend beyond the scheduled one day. 

Hamas decided to skip the talks in Doha, indicating that it does not want to start fresh negotiations, as planned, on recent conditions set by Israel, but wants instead to continue discussion on the current outline for a truce presented by US President Joe Biden. Hamas might rejoin the talks early next week if mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the United States present a plan based on the proposals outlined by Biden, The National reported on Thursday, citing sources.

In the meantime, Netanyahu is set to hold consultations with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Haaretz reported. Consultations will focus on the meeting in Doha and the possibility that the International Criminal Court will soon issue arrest warrants for top Israeli leaders over alleged war crimes in Gaza.