Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Reuters)
Israeli Channel 12 said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed - today, Friday - for the negotiating team to return to Doha to continue indirect discussions with Hamas regarding the prisoner exchange deal.
The Israeli delegation includes Mossad head David Barnea and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office explained that Netanyahu directed the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet to resume negotiations and go to Doha and Cairo.
Channel 12 said that Netanyahu did not expand the mandate granted to the Israeli negotiating team.
This comes after the cancellation of a meeting - scheduled for last night - of the Israeli War Council, following disagreements regarding the powers of the negotiating team regarding the exchange deal.
Protest the procrastination
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted informed sources as saying that the last meeting of the War Council witnessed a confrontation between the members, especially between the head of the Mossad, who demanded expanding the powers of the negotiating team, and Netanyahu, who refused to do so.
Ministers Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot protested against the procrastination in completing an exchange deal, according to what the broadcaster reported.
In a related context, Axios quoted the Israeli Prime Minister as saying that the United States is not putting enough pressure on Qatar in the prisoner talks, and it could do more.
Netanyahu added, "I am very disappointed that Washington renewed a contract regarding the American military base in Qatar."
Source: Al Jazeera + American press + Israeli press