The surprise meeting between the two leaders came as mediators continue efforts to make progress in truce negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog reportedly met “secretly” with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference to discuss ongoing negotiations to declare truce in the Gaza Strip in order to free Hamas hostages, the American news website Axios reported on Friday, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
The unusual meeting between the president and the prime minister came at a “critical” moment in the negotiations, according to Axios, as negotiators continue efforts to make progress despite a wide gap in what is being sought by the Israeli government and by the other. the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, better known by the acronym Hamas.
Citing an unnamed source, the website noted that Mr. Herzog took with him to Munich some of the hostages released in November and relatives of hostages.
According to Israeli sources, more than 130 Israeli hostages remain in the hands of Hamas in the Gaza Strip — although an army spokesman said last week that at least 31 of them were believed to be dead — of the approximately 250 abducted in the unprecedented attack. Hamas in southern Israel on October 7. A week-long truce in November allowed the release of more than 105 of them and in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. On both sides, it was mostly women and children.
US-backed Qatari and Egyptian officials are brokering a new ceasefire in the more than four-month-old war.
The aim is to release more hostages and Palestinian prisoners in phases and distribute more aid to civilians in the Gaza Strip. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argues that the complete lack of progress is due to the “delusional” claims of Hamas.
Negotiators hope a deal will be struck before Ramadan, which begins on March 10, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported, citing diplomatic sources.
In addition to Israeli President Herzog, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz was expected to participate in the Munich conference. Also present will be representatives of the Palestinian Authority and Arab countries, notably Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan. The session ends tomorrow, Sunday.
Source :Skai
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