Today: 3 June 2025
17 December 2023
4 mins read

Cornered Bibi hints at new Hamas talks

Netanyahu sidesteps question about a meeting in Europe between his lead negotiator, and Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani…reports Asian Lite News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to confirm that new Qatar-mediated negotiations were underway to recover hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, after a source said Israel’s lead negotiator met Qatar’s prime minister.

Netanyahu sidestepped a question at a news conference about a meeting on Friday in Europe between his lead negotiator, Mossad head David Barnea, and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. However, he confirmed he had given instructions to the negotiating team.

“We have serious criticisms of Qatar, about which I suppose you will hear in due course, but right now we are trying to complete the recovery of our hostages,” he said, alluding to the gas-rich Gulf state’s ties to Hamas and Israel’s arch-foe Iran.

News of a new round of negotiations, first reported by Axios, came after Israel’s military disclosed that troops had accidentally killed three hostages who approached them with a white flag after having escaped their captors in Gaza on Friday.

Netanyahu said he would not divulge details of the talks. “There is one mistake that we can make, which is to relay our calculations to Hamas, to the world,” he said. “We shall not be getting into the details of the negotiations.”

The Gaza war, triggered by a shock Hamas killing and kidnapping spree in south Israel on Oct. 7, has shaken regional and world powers as the Palestinian civilian toll spirals.

While pledging to destroy Hamas, Israel has also sought to recover hostages held by the Iranian-backed Islamist group. Netanyahu vowed to maintain intense military pressure on Hamas in Gaza.

“The instruction I am giving the negotiating team is predicated on this pressure, without which we have nothing,” he said. Mossad chief Barnea met Al Thani in Europe on Friday, a key mediator in the conflict in Gaza, a source told Reuters, while sources from Egypt suggested Israel appeared to be more open to a new deal with Hamas.

Qatar and Egypt were mediators between Israel and Hamas in a deal that led to a week long truce at the end of November during which Hamas released more than 100 women, children and foreigners it was holding in exchange for 240 Palestinian women and teenagers freed from Israeli jails.

Axios said the Friday meeting was the first between Barnea and Al Thani since the November truce. The source who spoke to Reuters said Barnea returned to Israel early on Saturday to brief Netanyahu.

Two Egyptian security sources said Israeli officials appeared more willing, in calls with mediators, to strike a fresh deal for a Gaza ceasefire and release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the recovery of hostages.

The Egyptian sources said Israeli officials appeared to have changed their mind on some points that they had previously refused, but did not go into further detail.

There was no immediate response from Netanyahu government spokespeople to the Egyptian assessment.

Israel believes that another 20 or more of the 130 hostages still held in Gaza are dead. Families of the hostages held a rally on Saturday, demanding that Israel consider releasing senior Palestinian militants from jail in any new swap deal.

“The Israeli government needs to be active. They need to put an offer on the table, including prisoners with blood on their hands, and put the best offer on the table to get the hostages back alive,” said Ruby Chen, father of 19-year-old hostage Itay.

“We don’t want them back in bags.”

Hamas exiled leader Osama Hamdan said it would only release soldiers held captive in Gaza “until the entire aggression is stopped.” He said that would have to happen through a negotiated deal “according to the conditions set by the the resistance.”

In an apparent effort to sway Israeli public opinion, Hamas also released a video showing slain hostages and ending with the Hebrew warning: “Time is running out.”

Meanwhile, The Israeli soldiers shot and killed three hostages in Gaza who were unarmed and waving a white flag, violating Israel Defence Forces’ (IDF) rules of engagement, CNN reported, citing an IDF official.

The incident was termed a “tragic, tragic event,” and details indicate that the hostages were shirtless and came out of a building near IDF soldiers.

One IDF soldier felt that there were suicide bombers and so he opened fire, against the rules of engagement, resulting in the immediate deaths of two hostages and the third later.

The situation is complicated by intense combat in the area, with terrorists moving in civilian attire to create traps.

The hostages were identified as Yotam Haim, Samer Fouad Al-Talalka, and Alon Shimriz. An investigation is underway to examine the circumstances surrounding the killings, including a potential connection with a nearby building marked with SOS.

The three men came out of a building “tens of metres from our soldiers’ position,” the official said. At least one of the soldiers “feels threatened and opens fire. Two are killed immediately. One is wounded and runs back inside. The soldiers hear a cry for help in Hebrew and the brigade commander issues a cease-fire order but there is another burst of fire,” as reported by CNN.

ALSO READ: Migration Threatens to Overwhelm Europe, Warns UK PM

Previous Story

Gaza Unrest Fuels Sectarian Violence in US, Europe

Next Story

Palestinian Americans sue Biden administration

Latest from -Top News

India Signals FTA with Oman

The talks for the free trade pact with Oman started in November 2023, and Goyal visited the Gulf country from January 27 to January 28….reports Asian Lite News Commerce and Industry Minister

Syria Strikes $7b Deal

The agreements, signed in the presence of Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, mark a total investment of 7 billion U.S. dollars…reports Asian Lite News – Syria signed a series of memoranda of understanding

More Killings in Palestine

Israeli occupation forces opened fire directly at hundreds of civilians as they attempted to reach an aid distribution centre in the al-Mawasi area of western Rafah At least 31 Palestinians were killed

Hamas Open to Fresh Talks

The movement said that it is ready to “immediately begin a round of indirect negotiations” to address the outstanding issues…reports Asian Lite News Hamas affirmed its readiness to begin indirect negotiations over

UAE aid for Gaza in global focus

Titled Hope Remains, the documentary brings to light the UAE’s leading role in providing vital aid and support to the people of Gaza. The International Humanitarian and Philanthropic Council has released a
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Biden slams ICC’s request to arrest Netanyahu

US president insists Israel and Hamas cannot be compared after

Blinken meets Netanyahu in Israel  

With no firm public response yet from Hamas or Israel