Mossad director discusses in Qatar a new plan for a swap deal with Hamas

Tel Aviv announced on Monday the return of the head of the Israeli Mossad, David Barnea, from the Qatari capital, Doha, after discussing a new plan that also includes previous proposals to reach a deal with Hamas to exchange prisoners.

This came according to a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, against the backdrop of two-day talks in Doha held by the head of Mossad with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and CIA Director William Burns.

“Mossad chief David Barnea returned (Monday) from Doha after meeting with the head of the CIA and the prime minister of Qatar,” the office said, while there was no immediate comment from Washington or Doha.

He added, “The parties in Doha discussed a new unified plan towards a deal to return the kidnapped, which combines previous proposals and also takes into account the main issues and recent developments in the region,” without further details.

He continued, “In the coming days, discussions will continue between the mediators and with Hamas to examine the feasibility of the talks and continue trying to push towards reaching a deal”.

The head of Mossad held talks on Sunday night in Doha with the Qatari Prime Minister and the head of the Central Intelligence Agency, and the talks resumed on Monday afternoon, according to the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

Yedioth Ahronoth spoke about efforts to hold a joint meeting for all heads of delegations, including the new head of Egyptian intelligence, Hassan Mahmoud Rashad, and then begin working group talks and agree on a single proposal, while no comment was immediately issued from Cairo regarding the matter.

The Israeli newspaper added that Israel isn’t enthusiastic about the Egyptian proposal for a mini-deal that includes a two-day ceasefire in Gaza with the release of four Israeli prisoners and a number of Palestinian prisoners.

Yedioth Ahronoth said, “Efforts are now directed towards reaching a major deal and linking Lebanon to it”.

In the same context, a senior member of the Israeli negotiating team suddenly announced his resignation from his position, in light of the stumbling of negotiations to reach a deal to release prisoners and cease fire in the Gaza Strip, which has been suffering from an Israeli war of extermination for more than a year.

In other context, the Israeli official broadcasting authority said on Monday that Brigadier General Oren Seiter, deputy to Major General Nitzan Alon, the negotiating official on behalf of the Israeli army, suddenly announced his resignation as a member of the negotiating team.

The Israeli official broadcasting authority explained that Seiter was deeply involved in formulating a plan for a ceasefire and the release of the Israeli kidnapped in Gaza that was adopted by US President Joe Biden and the UN Security Council”.

Seiter announced his resignation from his position against the backdrop of the stalemate in the negotiations.

The Israeli official broadcasting authority added, “This Monday afternoon, the head of Mossad (David Barnea) returned from Doha, and it can be said that if there had been any possibility of a breakthrough, we wouldn’t have witnessed this dramatic resignation”.

For his part, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said, commenting on the resignation of the senior official in the negotiating team, “As part of the team’s work, Seiter worked tirelessly to advance the efforts to return the kidnapped… The officer will return to assist the team in the future as well, as needed”.

Brigadier General Oren Seiter is the deputy to the IDF’s missing persons file official, General Nitzan Alon, and is a member of the Israeli negotiating team for the exchange deal.

On Monday, Tel Aviv announced Barnea’s return from Doha, after he discussed a new plan that also includes previous proposals to reach a deal with Hamas to exchange prisoners, according to a statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Following a two-day visit to Doha, Barnea held talks with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and CIA Director William Burns.

According to the Israeli Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, the biggest deal will require Israel to release large numbers of Palestinian prisoners and return bodies, including the body of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar after his martyrdom in the southern Gaza Strip on October 16.

Yedioth Ahronoth added, “The dilemma is related to the US elections that will be held next week (November 5)”.

Yedioth Ahronoth added, “Israel realizes that both Republican candidates Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris want the war to end before the inauguration date on January 20, and this doesn’t leave much time”.

Despite the ongoing mediation efforts of Qatar and Egypt for months, and the presentation of one agreement proposal after another to end the war on Gaza and exchange prisoners, Netanyahu continues to set new conditions that obstruct the agreement.