Synopsis
Israel is preparing to send a delegation to Qatar to discuss the next steps in the Gaza ceasefire agreement, as confirmed by Prime Minister Netanyahu's office. The delegation is set to leave this week, focusing on technical details and the overall negotiations related to the fragile truce.Key Takeaways
- Delegation to Doha for Gaza talks.
- Focus on technical aspects of the ceasefire.
- Security Cabinet meeting to discuss negotiations.
- Truce began on January 19, halting military operations.
- Potential normalization talks with Saudi Arabia.
Jerusalem, Feb 4 (NationPress) Israel is set to dispatch a delegation to Qatar to engage in discussions concerning the subsequent phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, as stated by the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday.
The statement indicated, "Israel is organizing a working-level delegation to depart for Doha at the end of this week to deliberate on the technical aspects pertaining to the ongoing execution of the agreement."
The following week, a meeting of the Security Cabinet is anticipated to take place to evaluate Israel's comprehensive stance regarding the second phase of the agreement, which, according to the office, "will direct the ongoing negotiations."
This announcement came after Netanyahu's discussions in Washington with US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and President Donald Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump later on Tuesday.
According to Netanyahu's office, the conversations will center around the delicate truce and initiatives aimed at concluding the conflict in Gaza. The prime minister also alluded to discussions regarding the potential advancement of a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
The Gaza agreement consists of an initial truce phase lasting 42 days, during which a total of 33 hostages and hundreds of Palestinians detained in Israeli prisons are to be released. Negotiations for the second phase were set to commence on the 16th day of the ceasefire, which occurred on Monday, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
However, Netanyahu noted on Saturday that he would send a negotiation team to Doha only after his meetings with Witkoff and Waltz in Washington.
The ceasefire commenced on January 19, halting 15 months of Israeli military operations in Gaza that devastated the Palestinian territory and resulted in approximately 62,000 fatalities, including more than 17,000 children, according to health authorities in Gaza.
