Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to Qatar’s proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza without first consulting the war cabinet, Israeli state television KAN announced.
The director of Israel’s Mossad foreign intelligence agency, David Barnea, during meetings he participated in with Egyptian and Qatari officials in Paris, received Prime Minister Netanyahu’s approval for a cease-fire to resume negotiations on various stages of the agreement between the conflicting parties.
A source close to the War Cabinet said members became aware of the issue after the prime minister’s approval.
In an interview with “Yedioth Ahranot”, Israeli officials said that they “will not agree to stop the war” in response to Hamas’ demand for the release of prisoners in Gaza and the withdrawal of the army from Gaza.
Officials claimed that the draft agreement calls for the release of 1,500 Palestinian prisoners, including “high-profile names” in Israeli prisons.
Speaking to AA, Palestinian sources reported that Hamas has accepted the plan, which calls for a three-stage prisoner exchange and a cease-fire in Gaza, each lasting 45 days.
