Cancelled! Mossad chief’s trip to Qatar to restart hostage talks

Palestinians search for bodies and survivors in the rubble. Pic/AP

Israel cancelled a planned trip of Mossad director David Barnea to Qatar to restart talks on a possible second hostage release deal, CNN reported citing a source.

A Palestinian boy recovers pigeons from the rubble of a destroyed building. Pic/AP

Mossad director David Barnea will not travel to the Qatari capital Doha, where previous talks on the release of hostages held by Hamas militants in Gaza have taken place, the source said. Also, formal negotiations have not resumed since hostage talks that had been taking place in Doha broke down earlier this month.

David Barnea, Mossad chief

But Israel, the US and Qatar have continued to discuss ways to try to jump-start the discussions, CNN reported citing multiple sources. According to CNN, the Israeli prime minister's office believes 135 hostages remain in Gaza, out of whom 115 are alive.

Palestinians walk past the rubble of destroyed buildings. Pics/AFP

The Palestinian president was set to meet Friday with US officials to discuss postwar arrangements for Gaza that could include reactivating Palestinian security forces driven out by Hamas in its 2007 takeover of the territory. Meanwhile, Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it wipes out Gaza's Hamas rulers, even as the international call for a cease-fire has grown in volume. Israel has drawn international outrage and rare criticism from the US - its main ally - over the killing of civilians.

Palestinians recover items from rubble

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told US President Joe Biden during a call Thursday that a quick cease-fire for Gaza would be possible if Washington withdrew its unconditional support for Israel.

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