Israeli PM sends team to Qatar for Gaza talks despite Hamas's "unacceptable" demands

An Israeli negotiating delegation is scheduled to travel to Qatar on July 6 for indirect talks with the Hamas terror group over a potential ceasefire and hostage release agreement, despite Tel Aviv rejecting recent Hamas demands deemed unacceptable.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed the upcoming trip late on July 5, Caliber.Az reports citing Israeli media, although noting that Hamas had introduced several “unacceptable” modifications to the US- and Israel-backed framework proposal currently on the table.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the team to proceed to Qatar just ahead of his own departure for Washington, where he is slated to meet US President Donald Trump on July 7 to discuss Gaza, Iran, and other pressing issues.

Hamas gave what was described as a “positive” response to the proposed outline on July 4, which envisions the release of around half of the living Israeli hostages and about half of the bodies of deceased hostages currently held in Gaza. The release would occur over a 60-day span, divided into five stages.

A Palestinian official affiliated with a militant group aligned with Hamas said the organization had suggested three amendments to the framework. These include a clause ensuring continued negotiations until a permanent ceasefire is agreed upon; full resumption of humanitarian aid through mechanisms supported by the UN and other international bodies; and the withdrawal of IDF forces to positions held prior to the collapse of the March ceasefire.

In response, Netanyahu’s office said the proposed amendments were submitted Friday night and “are not acceptable to Israel.” Nonetheless, the Israeli delegation is still expected to arrive in Doha on July 7 to resume negotiations.

The Israeli delegation consists of high-level officials, but Israeli media outlets point out that it does not include the senior-most officials who have been involved in talks, such as Mossad chief David Barnea, acting Shin Bet head “Shin” and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. The delegation to Doha is reported to include government hostage point man Gal Hirsch, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political adviser Ophir Falk, deputy Shin Bet chief “Mem,” and a senior Mossad official.

Families of hostages held in Gaza for over 630 days and their supporters rallied across Israel in the evening of July 6, demanding that the government finalize a deal to bring home all hostages—even if doing so means accepting Hamas’s call for a permanent end to the war.

By Nazrin Sadigova