Mossad Chief in Doha, Shin Bet Head Visits Egypt, Will Hamas & Netanyahu Agree To 2-Day Gaza Truce?

Mossad chief David Barnea flew to Doha on Oct. 27 to discuss attempts to move toward a hostage release deal with CIA Director and Qatari PM. According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the officials will discuss “the various possibilities to restart negotiations.” Hamas will not be involved in this round of meetings, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel.However, the Palestinian group could potentially join a subsequent round, with mediators in touch with Israeli negotiators. Israel is reportedly exploring the possibility of a small deal designed to kick-start talks with Hamas about a comprehensive deal, said the official.Egypt, alongside Qatar and the US, has for months been mediating indirect talks with little success. The Egyptian proposal was presented by the chief of Israel’s Shin Bet security service last week to the national security cabinet, Channel 12 reported.Most of the Israeli cabinet ministers and all the security chiefs present supported the idea. Netanyahu’s far-right colleagues Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, are said to have opposed to the Egyptian proposal.Netanyahu decided not to bring the proposal to a vote because of the initial two-day ceasefire before the hostages are released, said Channel 12. The Israeli prime minister has sent Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar back to Egypt to improve the terms of the deal, the report added.