Israel ministers oppose hostage swap deal as Mossad chief flies to Qatar

Israel's finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir on Wednesday opposed the cabinet decision on hostage swapping with Hamas, sources in the Israel government told IANS.

However, former chief of armed forces Benny Gantz has questioned the opposition by Smotrich and asked him whether he trusts the Hamas leadership more than Israel's war cabinet.

Likud party ministers also opposed Ben Gvir in the cabinet meeting, which continued until early Wednesday morning, and according to Hebrew media sources, there was a heated exchange between Ben Gvir and the Likud ministers. Ben Gvir, according to reports, told the cabinet that the decision could lead to "generational damage" and hurt the country for several decades to come.

With the Hostages and Missing Families Forum conducting massive protests and with international pressure mounting on the Israel government, there was no solution other than agreeing to a ceasefire for four days in exchange for the release of 50 hostages, including women and children. A total of 300 Palestinian prisoners in Israel jails will also be released from Thursday onward, the sources said.

Meanwhile, David Barnea, chief of Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, will travel to Qatar and meet Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani to discuss the intricacies of the hostage release.

The trip, according to Israeli sources, is meant to push more deals in favour of Israel during the ceasefire, and release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.

It is to be noted that Israel has insisted that it will be releasing only women and children from its prisons, and no murder accused would figure in the list of those released.

Hamas will release 50 hostages allegedly kidnapped from southern Israel on 7 October, while Israel will release 300 Palestinians who are in Israeli prisons. Barnea, according to sources, will insist that more hostages kidnapped from Israel be released.

According to information available, 80 people will be released in the next four days by Hamas after Barnea’s visit to Qatar, which is mediating the intricacies of the deal with Hamas and Israel at the behest of the US.