:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/L67CHJFRWNGULECKN4XYHGXOYE.jpg "Mossad chief to meet mediators in Qatar on Friday to negotiate release of Israeli hostages in Gaza")
Israeli Mossad chief David Barnea to travel to Qatar for ceasefire talks
The head of the Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, David Barnea, will travel to Qatar on Friday to participate in talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages held by Hamas. According to a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, Barnea will meet with CIA Director Bill Burns, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Egypt’s intelligence chief Abbas Kamel.
The discussions will take place as part of ongoing negotiations in Doha with the goal of facilitating the return of kidnapped individuals. In a related development, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to arrive in Israel from Cairo tomorrow. Blinken has presented a resolution to the UN Security Council calling for an immediate halt to the violence in Gaza, marking a departure from the U.S.’s previous stance on the issue.
While there is no guarantee that the resolution will be approved, Blinken emphasized that any ceasefire should be tied to the release of hostages. The talks come after further exchanges between Israel and Hamas regarding a potential truce.
In Gaza, the humanitarian situation remains dire, with a high number of casualties and a significant portion of the population experiencing food insecurity. Despite recent prisoner exchanges, many individuals are still being held captive by Hamas.
The international community continues to push for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, with diplomatic efforts ramping up to address the ongoing crisis in the region.