Family members of Israeli hostages held in Gaza say they are “shocked” by a report that Israel’s war cabinet has decided against sending the head of Mossad to Qatar for negotiations on a new hostage deal.
They are now demanding an “immediate explanation” from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Times of Israel is reporting.
It said Israel’s Channel 13 news reported that Mossad chief David Barnea, who helped negotiate last month’s hostage-release deal, had offered to go to Qatar again but the war cabinet decided against sending him amid cabinet disagreements over efforts being made on talks towards a new agreement.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement that “families were shocked by the report on the rejection of the director of Mossad’s request to formulate an agreement for the release of the hostages”, which comes “in addition to the ignoring of the parents’ request to meet with the prime minister and the defence minister, which has not yet been answered”, the Times of Israel report.
The forum said: “The families demand an immediate explanation from the prime minister and cabinet members and to break the deadlock in negotiations.”