ALBAWABA - A source familiar with the ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel confirmed to CNN that Israel has canceled a planned trip to Qatar by the head of its foreign intelligence service Mossad to restart talks on a possible second hostage release deal.
According to the source, Mossad director David Barnea will not travel to Doha, Qatar, where previous talks on the release of hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza have taken place.
Israel's Channel 13 reported on Wednesday that the Israeli war cabinet, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had canceled the trip and that senior Israeli officials would not travel to Qatar to restart negotiations.
Formal negotiations have not resumed since hostage talks in Doha broke down earlier this month. However, Israel, the United States, and Qatar have continued to discuss ways to kickstart the talks, according to multiple sources. "We never stopped," one source familiar with the negotiations said.
Families of some of the Israeli hostages were outraged by the decision to cancel Barnea's trip and demanded an explanation. "We are fed up with the indifference and deadlock," they said in a statement.
Al-Aqsa Flood operation against Israel
Hamas military group announced on Oct. 7 a military operation called "Al-Aqsa Flood" against Israel which is the biggest offensive in decades.
Palestinian fighters “infiltrated” Israel from the Gaza Strip and captured military bases and took hostages as photos and videos went viral online showing Hamas fighters on vehicles inside Israel and others paragliding into occupation territory.
In response, Israeli armed forces announced targeting Hamas positions inside the Gaza Strip. Thousands were killed, and dozens of thousands of others were injured in the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip.
According to the latest statistics by the Ministry of Health in Gaza, at least 18,608 Palestinians have since been killed and 50,594 injured.
