Israel’s War Cabinet Sends Negotiating Team to Pursue Ceasefire and Hostage Release Deal in Paris
In a significant development, Israel’s war cabinet has made the decision to send a negotiating team to Paris to pursue talks over a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal. The team will be led by Mossad Director David Barnea and is expected to engage in substantive negotiations rather than simply listening to proposals, as they did during their previous meetings in Cairo. The full Israeli cabinet is set to vote on the matter overnight to give final approval for the trip.
The decision to send a negotiating team comes after US President Joe Biden’s Middle East coordinator Brett McGurk met with top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli government had been waiting for confirmation that medication had reached the hostages in Gaza before agreeing to return to the negotiating table. With positive indications from talks in Cairo and prodding from US officials, Israel has finally agreed to send a negotiating team to Paris.
The negotiations in Paris will involve CIA Director Bill Burns and his Egyptian and Qatari counterparts, who are also expected to be present. The Biden administration is racing against the clock to secure a ceasefire before Ramadan next month, with senior US officials believing that the release of more than 100 Israeli hostages from Gaza is the only plausible way to bring a pause to the deadly conflict.
One of the major concerns surrounding the negotiations is Israel’s threat to launch an offensive into Rafah in southern Gaza, where more than a million displaced Palestinians have sought refuge. US officials have warned Israel against pushing farther south without ensuring the safety of these civilians.
Hamas leaders have been meeting with Egyptian officials in Cairo to try and move the deal forward after Netanyahu dismissed the group’s recent proposals as “delusional.” Among the sticking points in the negotiations are Hamas’ demands for the release of around 1,500 prisoners, Israeli troops to leave Gaza, and discussions that would lead to a formal end to the war.
The urgency for a ceasefire is evident as civilian casualties have soared in Gaza since the end of the last truce three months ago. The Israeli military has intensified aerial attacks on central and northern Gaza, resulting in the destruction of homes and displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Hospitals and medical facilities are overwhelmed, and the situation is described as desperate and catastrophic.
Israel has warned that if a hostage deal is not reached by the start of Ramadan on March 10, they will proceed with their planned offensive in Rafah. The Israeli Defense Forces are preparing for intense ground operations, despite increasing international calls for restraint.
The negotiations in Paris hold high stakes, as they offer a glimmer of hope for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. The international community is closely watching these developments, hoping for a breakthrough that will bring an end to the devastating conflict in the region.
