US envoy Steve Witkoff was also expected to travel to Doha on Tuesday evening “in an effort to broker a new hostage-release and ceasefire deal.”
Israel will send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an attempt to advance the Gaza ceasefire negotiations following an invitation from mediators, according to media reports.
“Israel agreed to the invitation of the mediators backed by the US, and will send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an attempt to make progress in the negotiations,” the Prime Minister’s office said in a statement on Saturday night cited by The Times of Israel.
QNN Translation | Netanyahu’s office announces that an Israeli delegation will travel to Doha on Monday to continue negotiations on the prisoner exchange deal. pic.twitter.com/avu5GLPD8q
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) March 8, 2025
The negotiation team will include “M. from the Shin Bet; Gal Hirsch, Coordinator of Prisoners of War and Missing Persons on behalf of the government; Ofir Falk, Netanyahu’s political advisor; Job ranks from the Mossad and the IDF,” Israel’s Army Radio reported.
The Times of Israel reported that “M” will participate in place of Ronen Bar, the head of Shin Bet, “whom Netanyahu removed from his negotiating role and is reportedly looking to fire.”
Security Cabinet Meeting
Netanyahu held a meeting on Saturday night to assess the situation regarding the prisoner exchange deal negotiations with the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas. He will reportedly hold a meeting with his cabinet, and later his security cabinet on Sunday.
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According to Al Jazeera Arabic, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation, citing informed sources, reported that “in light of the stalemate in the negotiations, the Israeli political level has instructed the army to prepare immediately to return to fighting, but an Israeli security source warned that returning to fighting would endanger the lives of the prisoners.”
Witkoff Traveling to Doha
Meanwhile Axios reported on Saturday that US envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to travel to Doha on Tuesday evening “in an effort to broker a new hostage-release and ceasefire deal.”
White House envoy to travel to Doha to push for new Gaza deal https://t.co/sUkcioVgSP
— Axios (@axios) March 9, 2025
It cited a senior Israeli official as saying that Witkoff “wanted to get all the parties in one place for several days of intense negotiations in an effort to reach a deal.”
Last Tuesday, Trump’s envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler held direct talks with Hamas officials in which he discussed the possible release of one of the five American captives as well as the bodies of four other US captives, according to Axios.
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The first phase of the ceasefire agreement, which took effect on January 19, ended on Saturday, after which Netanyahu announced that “the entry of all goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip will be halted.”
Hamas Meeting in Cairo
A Hamas delegation met with the head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Service, Major General Hassan Rashad in Cairo on Saturday, the movement said.
In a statement on Sunday, Hamas said the meeting addressed several important issues, particularly the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and the various stages of the prisoner exchange process.
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“The delegation stressed the need to adhere to all terms of the agreement, to move immediately to the second phase of negotiations, and to open the border crossings to allow the unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid into the Strip,” the statement said.
The delegation also expressed its gratitude for Egypt’s efforts, “especially in countering displacement plans” proposed by US President Donald Trump.
Arab Summit Plan
“It also welcomed the outcomes of the Arab Summit, particularly the plan for the reconstruction of Gaza, and reaffirmed the Palestinian people’s inalienable rights,” the statement added.
Where Egypt’s Gaza Proposal Gets It Right And Wrong – Analysis
The delegation “also affirmed the movement’s approval of the formation of a Community Support Committee, composed of independent national figures, to manage the Gaza Strip until Palestinian reconciliation is achieved and general elections are held at all national, presidential, and legislative levels.”
On Tuesday, an emergency Arab summit in Cairo adopted Egypt’s $53 billion reconstruction plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing Palestinians from their land.
(PC, AJA)
