The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth revealed that Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer held a phone call with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, as part of the intensive efforts being made by international mediation to advance negotiations on a prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
The newspaper explained that Dermer initiated the call in response to pressure from Mossad chief David Barnea (known as "Wittkov"), who is seeking to break the deadlock in the negotiations through direct contact with Qatar, which is playing a pivotal role in the mediation.
Yedioth Ahronoth confirmed that intensive talks are still ongoing, noting that Witkoff continues to pressure Hamas, with the support of mediators, to present a new response closer to the Israeli proposal and serve as a basis for moving to more in-depth negotiations in Doha.
These moves come amid ongoing international efforts to bring the parties together, amid ongoing escalation on the ground in the Gaza Strip and ongoing stumbling blocks in reaching a final agreement on the prisoner exchange deal.
In the same context, Channel 12 reported that Hamas is working on a new response to Witkoff's proposal, indicating that Hamas will change its demands at the request of the Qataris and Egyptians.
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A phone call between an Israeli official and the Qatari Prime Minister to discuss a ceasefire in Gaza.