Mossad agents negotiating the potential renewal of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas left Qatar on Saturday due to an impasse in the talks.
“Due to the impasse in negotiations and following instructions from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Mossad chief David Barnea ordered his team in Doha to return to Israel,” according to a statement released by the premier’s office on behalf of the spy agency.
“The Hamas terror group did not fulfill its obligations under the agreement, including releasing all the women and children in accordance with a list provided to Hamas and approved by it,” the statement added.
“[Barnea] thanks the head of the CIA, Egypt’s intelligence minister and the prime minister of Qatar for their partnership in the tremendous mediation efforts that led to the release of 84 women and children from Gaza, in addition to 24 foreign nationals,” concluded the statement.
The IDF resumed combat operations in Gaza on Friday morning after Hamas broke a week-long ceasefire by firing rockets at the Jewish state.
Barnea has repeatedly flown to Doha to hold discussions aimed at securing the release of additional hostages held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.
On Tuesday, The Washington Post reported that CIA director William Burns was pushing for a future truce deal that would include the release of male hostages and Israel Defense Forces personnel held captive by Hamas.
Amid renewed fighting, Israel’s government said it remains committed to seeing that all the hostages return home.
According to the latest numbers, 137 remain in captivity. Of those, 20 are women and 117 are men. They include 126 Israelis and 11 foreigners.
Hamas terrorists killed at least 1,200 people during its Oct. 7 attack on Israeli communities near the Gaza border.
