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Well, That's A Real Surprise

Report: Benjamin Netanyahu's Qatar delegation won't talk second deal phase

The Prime Minister sent the delegation at the request of the Trump administration to avoid allowing Hamas to "blow up" the deal and not release more hostages.

Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Photo: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's delegation to Doha this weekend will be discussing the implementation of the first phase of the hostage deal, not the second, according to Channel 13 reporter Moriah Asraf.

Negotiations for implementing the second phase of the hostage deal, which would include an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and an official end to the war in exchange for the remaining hostages, were supposed to begin Monday.

Hawkish elements within Netanyahu's coalition, especially Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have been pushing hard for Israel to restart the war following the first phase of the deal and the release of the hostages in that phase.

Smotrich even explained his refusal to leave the government over the deal like former National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir was on the grounds of forcing the government to restart the war.

On the other hand, the opposition and the Haredi parties have been in favor of seeing the deal through to the end, even if that means ending the war, and many in Trump's circle have hinted that they and even the President favor as much - provided that Hamas ceases to rule or govern Gaza.

Qatar, one of the mediators of the hostage deal and aa sponsor of Hamas, has repeatedly pushed to try and ensure that Israel and Hamas begin negotiations for the second phase of the deal as soon as possible, so as to forestall a renewal of the war.

Meanwhile, Oztmah Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir has presented the Knesset and the Ministerial Committee on Legislation with a law proposal for the state to provide material assistance to any Palestinian who wishes to leave the war-torn Gaza Strip.

The assistance would have to be repaid with interest if they returned to the Strip, and anyone affiliated with terrorism in any way would not receive Israeli state support.


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