Netanyahu to hold urgent security talks on Gaza cease-fire, prisoner swap deal: Media
Israeli negotiating team in Doha to brief prime minister on latest developments during encrypted video call

JERUSALEM
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was scheduled to convene urgent security consultations late Tuesday to discuss an anticipated prisoner exchange and cease-fire deal with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to Israeli media.
Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu will meet with senior security officials to address the “urgent security matter” of securing the release of Israeli captives. No further details were provided.
Separately, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily revealed that the Israeli negotiating team in the Qatari capital Doha will brief Netanyahu on the latest developments during an encrypted video call as part of the security consultations.
“The heads of the negotiating team in Doha will update Netanyahu on Tuesday night in an encrypted conference call on the talks during a security consultation as part of preparations for the deal,” the newspaper reported.
Since Sunday, the Israeli delegation -- led by Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet director Ronen Bar -- has been engaged in indirect negotiations with the Palestinian group Hamas in Doha.
Citing unnamed sources familiar with the deal, the newspaper claimed that Hamas “is trying to take advantage of the last moments and squeeze out more concessions (from Israel), in parallel with increasing pressure from the mediators.”
The report added that US officials are actively involved behind the scenes, providing strong support for the talks. This includes a team from the CIA and representatives from both outgoing President Joe Biden's administration, led by Brett McGurk, and incoming President Donald Trump's administration, represented by Steve Witkoff.
Israel currently holds more than 10,300 Palestinian prisoners, while it is estimated that 98 Israelis are detained in Gaza. Hamas said that many Israeli captives have been killed in indiscriminate Israeli airstrikes.
The prisoner swap and cease-fire talks, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, have been interrupted several times due to new conditions imposed by Netanyahu.
The Israeli opposition and families of captives accuse him of obstructing efforts to reach a Gaza cease-fire and prisoner exchange deal with Hamas.
Israel has continued its war on Gaza, which has killed more than 46,600 people, most of them women and children, since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
In November last year, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
*Writing by Mohammad Sio