(JNS) At press time, Israel was set to dispatch a delegation to Doha, Qatar over the weekend to discuss the future of its ceasefire agreement with Hamas. This followed a “positive and friendly” meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Monday, Feb. 3.
The meeting in Washington, a day before Netanyahu’s meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, also included U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter and other senior officials.
While in the Qatari capital, the working delegation is to “discuss technical details” of the deal, according to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, as negotiators focus on reaching phase two of the tenuous truce.
Upon returning from the United States, Netanyahu will convene Israel’s Security Cabinet to outline Jerusalem’s stance on the second phase of the deal, shaping future negotiations, the PMO stated.
Netanyahu, who arrived in Washington on Sunday, plans to extend his visit until Saturday night, his office said, citing “many requests by U.S. officials who want to meet him.”
The Israeli leader had originally planned to fly home on Thursday.
In phase two of the ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas, Israel is to withdraw entirely from Gaza in exchange for the release of the remaining living hostages and a permanent cessation of hostilities.
According to Israeli estimates, there are 79 hostages still in Hamas captivity in Gaza, including 76 abducted during the Oct. 7 attacks.
Of the 251 hostages taken on Oct. 7, 2023, 175 have been returned or rescued, and Hamas is believed to be holding 35 bodies, 34 of them taken during the cross-border invasion and that of IDF Lt. Hadar Goldin, which was taken by the Palestinian terrorist group in 2014.
Jerusalem is also maintaining a ceasefire with the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon, with IDF troops still on the ground in the south of the country dismantling the Iranian proxy’s infrastructure. Originally set to last 60 days, the agreement has been extended until Feb. 18.
