Israel demands list of hostages alive for further ceasefire talks

Tel Aviv: The mediatory talks for a temporary ceasefire into the ongoing Israel and Hamas war have come to a halt after Israel demanded a list of kidnapped hostages who are alive.

Israeli Prime Minister’s office told IANS that this message was communcated to the negotiators after an urgent meeting of the War Cabinet chaired by Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel’s intelligence agency-military intelligence agency, Mossad and Shin Bet, have revealed earlier that of the 134 hostages, who are in the custody of Hamas since October 7, 2023, around 31 are dead.

International negotiators, including the US, Qatar and Egypt were expecting a ceasefire for the ongoing war from March 4. However, the decision of the Israeli government has hit a roadblock into the negotiations.

Both Israel and Hamas had almost agreed for a ceasefire for six weeks and release of 40 Israeli hostages.

Around 400 Palestinians, who are in Israeli prisons would also be released.

However, Israel was skeptical on the Palestinians who were to be released and had insisted that those accused of grave crimes, including plotting and executing mass murders would not be released.

A series of peace talks were held in Paris and Cairo a week ago with Israeli headed by Mossad Chief David Barnea, Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, the US represented by William Burns, the CIA Chief, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Al Thani and Egypt by its Intelligence head, Major General Abbas Kalem.

The negotiations were to be continued on Saturday and Sunday at Doha, but Israel has informed that they won’t participate unless the names of hostages who are alive were announced.