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Netanyahu Sends Delegation to Qatar for Gaza Talks Amid Hamas Optimism and Trump's Upcoming Inauguration

Jan 2, 2025, 06:30 PM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has authorized a delegation to travel to Doha, Qatar, to continue negotiations aimed at securing a hostage release and ceasefire agreement with Hamas in Gaza. The delegation includes representatives from the Mossad, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), and the Internal Security Agency (ISA). The move comes as both sides have been engaged in indirect talks, with recent progress noted despite ongoing challenges. Hamas has expressed optimism about the potential success of these negotiations, while Netanyahu faces domestic pressure to resolve the hostage situation before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on January 20, 2025. The conflict, which escalated following a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, has resulted in significant casualties and displacement in Gaza, with over 45,500 Palestinians reported dead and around 100 Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.