Israel Sends Delegation To Negotiate Hostage Release With Hamas

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu/DOK IST

JAKARTA - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Joe Biden he decided to send a delegation to continue stalled negotiations regarding the deal to release hostages with Hamas.

Sources in the Israeli negotiating team, which did not want to be named, said there was a real opportunity to reach an agreement after Hamas made a revised proposal regarding the terms of the deal.

Hamas' proposal includes a very significant breakthrough, said the unnamed source.

Israel's response to Hamas' proposal, submitted through mediators, is very different from past events during the nearly nine-month war in Gaza, where Israel says the terms granted by Hamas are unacceptable.

An Israeli official said the head of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad would lead the Israeli delegation for the talks.

Netanyahu was scheduled to consult with his negotiating team, then discuss the issue of the release of hostages with his security cabinet.

The White House said Biden and Netanyahu, by phone call, discussed responses received from Hamas regarding possible deals.

"The president welcomes the decision of the prime minister to authorize his negotiators to deal with US, Qatar and Egyptian mediators in an effort to reach an agreement," he said.

In the telephone conversation, Netanyahu repeated that Israel's position would only end its war in Gaza once all its goals had been achieved.

Sources in Israel's negotiating team said: "There is an agreement with a real opportunity for implementation."

However, the source warned that there was a risk the deal could fail due to political considerations.

Several right-wing partners in the ruling Netanyahu coalition have indicated they may step down from government if the war ends before Hamas is destroyed. Their exit from the coalition is likely to end Netanyahu's post of prime minister.