Negotiating Delegation Departs Today for Qatar, Minister of Defense Gallant: Israel is Committed to Returning All Hostages

JAKARTA - Defense Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed that Israel would return all its citizens held hostage, with the Cabinet approving the departure of the delegation to negotiations in Qatar today.

Speaking at a memorial service for fallen Israeli soldiers whose final resting places are unknown, Defense Minister Gallant said Israel is committed to repatriating hostages held in the Gaza Strip.

"This commitment, to leave no one behind, applies to the war we are currently fighting and will apply to all of Israel's wars," said Defense Minister Gallant, as reported by The Times of Israel, March 18.

"Along with the 112 live hostages repatriated in the course of the agreement and operational activities, IDF forces and Shin Bet personnel also repatriated 11 killed (hostages) for burial in Israel," he said.

"As we operated throughout the war, the defense establishment under my leadership had an obligation to exploit every possibility and was ready to exploit every opportunity, including the current opportunity, to return the hostages to their families," Gallant stressed.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Cabinet approved the departure of an Israeli negotiating delegation to Doha, Qatar today to hold talks regarding a temporary ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, Hebrew media reported.

According to Walla, the delegation led by Mossad Director David Barnea received a "general mandate" to conduct negotiations, citing a senior Israeli official. Several issues related to the talks need to be considered and agreed upon by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant separately, the report said.

Meanwhile, Ynet reported the negotiating team asked for "considerable time to negotiate so that the deal can be refined, and provide an outline that we can support."

An Israeli official quoted by Ynet said: "We need to change the deal, it is important for us to reach an agreement with significant flexibility."