Bethlehem – Ma’an – A new round of negotiations is being held today in the Qatari capital, Doha, which is described as an opportunity in an attempt to reach a truce agreement.

The Israeli Haaretz newspaper reported that the United States is pressuring the parties involved in the negotiations and is preparing to act differently if they fail.

The Israeli delegation includes Mossad chief David Barnea, Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, detainees’ affairs officer General Nitzan Alon, and Israeli Prime Minister’s political adviser Ofer Falk.

Hamas announced its refusal to attend the negotiations, in which the Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) William Burns, the Prime Minister of Qatar, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and the head of Egyptian intelligence, Major General Abbas Kamel, are also participating.

It was reported that the pending files are the Philadelphi and Netzarim axes, a list of the names of the living detainees, as demanded by Israel, and the resumption of management of the Rafah cro
ssing.

Channel 13 military correspondent Or Heller said: “We are at a crossroads. One of the turning points at this crossroads is a prisoner deal and perhaps a 42-day ceasefire. The second is the risk of turning into a regional war, and the recommendation of the Israeli security establishment is to reach an agreement.”

‘Unfortunately, I find it very difficult to see any optimism,’ said Dr. Michael Milstein, head of the Forum for Palestinian Studies at the Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University, ahead of the Doha summit. ‘When you say Hamas, you mean Sinwar. We are at the same point we were a few months ago. Hamas wants to reach an agreement, but on its own terms and according to its own red lines.’

He added: Military pressure is an idea that does not work at all. We have been dealing with the matter for ten months.

Source: Maan News Agency