Israel to offer six-week Gaza truce for 40 hostages in Qatar talks: Israeli official

JERUSALEM: Israel will send a high-level delegation headed by its Mossad chief to Qatar on Monday (Mar 18) for mediated talks with Hamas designed to secure a six-week Gaza truce under which the Palestinian militants would free 40 hostages, an Israeli official said.

This stage of the negotiations could take at least two weeks, the official estimated, citing difficulties that Hamas' foreign delegates may have in communicating with the group in the besieged enclave after more than five months of war.

The meeting between Mossad chief David Barnea, Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian envoys "is expected to take place today", the source said on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the talks.

The talks in the Qatari capital are the first after weeks of intense negotiations involving Qatari, US and Egyptian mediators failed to secure a truce between Israel and Hamas for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began last week.

Hamas official Osama Hamdan told Iran-backed Hezbollah's Al Manar television channel in Lebanon that there was "a real opportunity to end the aggression and achieve a permanent ceasefire".

"PARTIAL WITHDRAWAL"

Hamdan said Hamas, which previously demanded a complete Israeli withdrawal, would accept a partial Israeli retreat before the exchange of any prisoners.

"In the first stage, there will be a total halt to military operations, which means no overflights or troop movements" and a partial Israeli withdrawal, Hamdan said of the proposal.

Under this scenario, he told the channel, "after 14 days, there will be a withdrawal to the east ... which means reopening the road for displaced people so that they can return".

"We accepted that there would be a partial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip before any exchange, and with the end of the first phase, a complete withdrawal would take place ... with the complete end of military operations," Hamdan said, adding that he hoped to conclude the negotiations "within days".

Israel's position was not known on the plan outlined by Hamdan.

Barnea was involved in previous rounds of talks in Doha that led to a one-week break in fighting in late November and the release of scores of Israeli and foreign hostages, as well as aid entering the besieged Palestinian territory.

Israel confirmed on Sunday its plans to attend talks following a Cabinet meeting meant to decide the delegation's mandate, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

During a Sunday news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Netanyahu said any Gaza peace deal that weakens Israel and leaves it unable to defend itself against hostile neighbours would be unacceptable.

The war began when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack from Gaza on Oct 7 that left about 1,160 dead in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official figures.

Palestinian militants seized about 250 Israeli and foreign hostages during the Oct 7 attack, but dozens were released during a week-long truce in November.

Israel believes about 130 remain in Gaza, including 33 – eight soldiers and 25 civilians – who are presumed dead.

Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel has carried out a relentless bombardment and ground offensive that the health ministry in the Palestinian territory says has killed at least 31,726 people, most of them women and children.