Israeli President Isaac Herzog held a secret meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. The news portal reports that axiosquoting knowledgeable sources.
The documents say the purpose of the meeting was to discuss negotiations for the release of hostages captured by the Palestinian radical movement Hamas.
Sources with knowledge of the matter confirmed that the Israeli president attended the conference along with some of the released hostages and their families; this was a move aimed at underlining the importance of the talks and providing them with a broader context.
“The hope is that Hamas will show a willingness to negotiate in a more constructive way,” said a senior Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
According to the source, this meeting was the next step towards finding a solution to the difficult situation involving hostages in the Gaza Strip. Despite the difficulties, the parties continue negotiations with the aim of finding compromise and a peaceful solution to the conflict.
The day before, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu statedThe key to rescuing hostages from the Gaza Strip lies in a combination of strong military pressure and very difficult negotiations, he said.
Previously reportedIt is stated that many Russians remain among Hamas hostages in Gaza.