Watan-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the head of the Israeli Mossad, David Barnea, and his team to return from Qatar amid a deadlock in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations. According to Reuters, Netanyahu’s decision was prompted by the stagnation of the talks held in Doha on Saturday.

In a statement from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, it was mentioned that the negotiations on a return to calmness have reached an impasse. The statement attributed the collapse of the humanitarian truce and the thwarting of extension efforts to the responsibility of the Hamas movement. It claimed that Hamas did not adhere to the lists sent to them for the release of detainees, including women and children.

According to Israeli lists, there are 20 women and two children held in the Gaza Strip.

Visit of Mossad Team to Qatar

The talks, facilitated by Qatari intermediaries, focused on the possibility of releasing new categories of Israeli detainees, excluding women and children. The source indicated that the terms of the ceasefire discussed differed from the agreement that collapsed on Friday.

According to an Israeli source, Israel and Hamas are considering new criteria for the release of detainees and the ceasefire, predating its collapse.

The ceasefire, initiated on November 24th, witnessed the release by Hamas of Israeli women and children who had been detained since October 7th, in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners, including women and children.

This comes as a source familiar with the visit reports that a team from the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad visited Doha on Saturday for discussions with Qatari mediators regarding the potential resumption of a ceasefire in Gaza.