Mossad chief returns from Rome with hostage deal clarifications

Mossad head David Barnea returned from hostage negotiations in Rome Sunday, where he presented Israel’s clarification to the hostage deal, which Israeli officials have insisted falls within the original framework that US President Joe Biden unveiled on May 31.

“At the meeting, the sides discussed the document with the clarifications regarding the draft agreement that was conveyed from Israel,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“The negotiations on the main issues will continue in the coming days,” it stated.

CIA Director William J. Burns led the talks, which included Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Egyptian Intelligence Director Abbas Kamel. Both Egypt and Qatar have been the main mediators of the deal to secure the release of the remaining 115 hostages, with the help of the United States.

Barnea participated in the Rome talks after Netanyahu met in Washington last week with Biden and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the hostage deal. He had wanted to make sure that his position was aligned with the US and that there was as little daylight as possible between Jerusalem and Washington.

While he was at the White House, Netanyahu also met, together with Biden, with relatives of the captives with dual Israeli-American citizenship. Netanyahu also met separately with the relatives of the hostages. He had brought a small group of these family members, including freed hostage Noa Argamani, on the plane with him to Washington.

Netanyahu in Washington

Netanyahu has been under fire for standing firm on some principled points concerning the hostage deal, including the importance of the IDF maintaining security control of the Philadelphi Corridor and preventing terrorists from returning to northern Gaza. He has also pushed to increase the number of live hostages that would be released during the first phase of the deal.

Security officials have said that Israel can afford to temporarily withdraw from Gaza during phase one of the three-phase agreement if this would help secure a hostage agreement.