Israeli press: Tel Aviv and Hamas officially started negotiations in Doha
Negotiations aimed at reaching an agreement on the exchange of prisoners between the delegations of Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement have officially begun in Qatar. Negotiations can last about two weeks. It is noted that the decision by Hamas is made by Ismail Haniya, who is in Gaza, and not by the representatives in Qatar.
According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the talks began after an Israeli delegation led by Mossad (Israeli intelligence) director David Barnea arrived in Doha.
Barnea will return to Israel this morning, while a high-level Israeli task force comprising representatives of the Mossad, the Military Intelligence Agency (AMAN) and the Internal Security Agency Shin Bet (Shabak) will stay in Qatar for several days.
An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the talks had begun and would be long, difficult, complicated and require a lot of patience.
Israel's private TV channel Channel-12 reported that the talks were taking place in a private hotel complex in Doha.
The representatives of Hamas and Israel are separated by a corridor, and there will be no direct meeting between them, mediators from Qatar and Egypt move from room to room, the TV channel reported.
An Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the talks could last about two weeks. The official clarified that the decision will be made by the head of the movement in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, and not by Hamas representatives in Qatar, so any issue that needs to be raised will continue until a response is received within 24-36 hours.
According to Haaretz, the Israeli delegation included Ronen Bar, head of Israel's General Security Service (Shin Bet or Shabak) and Nitzan Alon, who is in charge of abductees and missing persons in the Israeli army.
The publication previously reported that Israel will negotiate directly with Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in the Gaza Strip on a ceasefire and exchange of prisoners without intermediaries.
Hamas also announced on March 14 that it had submitted a cease-fire and prisoner exchange offer to Tel Aviv via Qatar and Egypt.
The administration of the head of the Israeli government called the demands of H AMAS "illogical".
