Mossad Director David Barnea met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha on Thursday to discuss efforts toward a hostage release agreement, Israeli officials said. The talks come as Israel shifts its focus away from a previously discussed phased deal involving the release of 50 hostages in multiple stages.
A senior Israeli official told Kan TV, Israel’s public broadcaster, that Barnea informed the Qatari prime minister that this larger phased arrangement “is off the table,” reflecting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent directive that Israel is now prioritizing a single, comprehensive deal to free all remaining hostages at once.
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Officials stress that this does not entirely rule out smaller, discrete agreements. One possibility still under discussion would see the release of 10 hostages in exchange for a two-month ceasefire. Israeli sources describe such proposals as short-term humanitarian arrangements rather than phases in a broader, structured deal.
The meeting in Doha took place as Qatar and Egypt continue working on a potential framework to release all hostages and end the war. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was also in the Qatari capital for related discussions. In parallel, senior Hamas officials met Egyptian mediators in Cairo.
Netanyahu on Thursday outlined five principles for ending the war: dismantling Hamas’ military capabilities; returning all hostages, both living and dead; demilitarizing Gaza and preventing arms manufacturing or smuggling; maintaining Israeli security control in the territory; and establishing a civilian administration unaffiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority. “These five principles will ensure Israel’s security. That is the meaning of the word ‘victory,’” Netanyahu said.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich urged Netanyahu to rule out any pauses in fighting until these goals are met. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continued across Gaza, with local health authorities reporting at least 50 people killed and 831 injured in the past 24 hours. Since October 2023, they say more than 61,700 people have been killed, with 239 deaths attributed to famine and malnutrition.