Military Space News
TERROR WARS
Israeli intelligence chief to head hostage release delegeation in Qatar
Israeli intelligence chief to head hostage release delegeation in Qatar
by Simon Druker
Washington DC (UPI) Jan 11, 2024

Israel is sending the head of the country's intelligence service to Qatar to engage in negotiations to free remaining hostages held by Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed on Saturday.

The directive came after Netanyahu spoke at length with senior Israeli officials, including Defense Secretary Israel Katz, as well as American officials regarding the status of the hostages held in Gaza, the prime minister's office said on X.

"At the conclusion of the discussion, the Prime Minister directed the Mossad Director, the ISA Director, Maj.-Gen. (Res) Nitzan Alon, and his Foreign Policy Adviser, Dr. Ophir Falk, to depart for Doha in order to continue advancing a deal to release our hostages," Netanyahu's office said on X.

Netanyahu met earlier in the day with Steve Witkoff, the incoming U.S. envoy to the Middle East for President-elect Donald Trump.

Alon and Falk will head to Qatar's capital city of Doha to speak with representatives from Hamas, which is still holding just under 100 hostages. Any deal to release them would presumably involve a ceasefire between Israeli military forces and Hamas.

Israeli officials say Hamas has not provided information related to how many of the remaining hostages are alive.

Earlier in the week, the Israel Defense Forces said it recovered the body of Yosef AlZayadni. The 53-year-old was abducted during the coordinated Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023. His body was located in tunnels in the city of Rafah in the southern part of the Palestinian enclave. Authorities also say he was killed in Gaza.

On Friday, the IDF confirmed it had recovered the body of his 23-year-old son, Hamza AlZayadni who was also kidnapped by Hamas. The younger AlZaydani's body was also located in Gaza where officials say he was killed.

Netanyahu later sent his condolences to the family in a post on X.

The Qatari news outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed quoted an anonymous Hamas source saying a deal to set the remaining hostages free was near complete. The report also states Egyptian officials will be present for the Doha negotiations in addition to Qatari and American representatives.

Related Links
The Long War - Doctrine and Application

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
TERROR WARS
Decade after IS abduction, Yazidi survivor returns to Iraq
Sharya, Iraq (AFP) Jan 10, 2025
Her family had lost hope she would ever return after Islamic State fighters took her and thousands of other Yazidi women and girls as sex slaves from Iraq into Syria during their reign of terror. A decade later, 27-year-old Silvana Khider walked for days across Syria as president Bashar al-Assad's rule came to an end, and was reunited with her sister in Iraq. While she was taken by IS, she spent the last years of her ordeal in Syria's Idlib province, bastion of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) gro ... read more

TERROR WARS
Raytheon awarded $946M contract to deliver additional Patriot Defense Systems

Philippines rejects China's criticism of US missile plan

Lockheed Martin demonstrates missile defense capability for Guam in key test

PAC-3 demonstrates advanced integration in successful defense test

TERROR WARS
North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles into sea

CENTCOM conducts first attack targeting Houthi rebels of 2025

Israel military says missile from Yemen intercepted

Russia says Ukraine fired US-made missiles at Belgorod region

TERROR WARS
German police probe drone sightings over military sites

Britain-led coalition to send Ukraine 30K drones

Myanmar military adopts anti-junta fighters' drone tactics

Elbit Systems to provide advanced counter UAS solution for NATO member

TERROR WARS
Controversy in Italy over potential deal with Musk's SpaceX

Quadsat and NATO NCIA validate Quadsat system for WGS compliance testing

ESA to support development of secure EU communications satellite constellation

IRIS2 contract signed to strengthen Europe's space connectivity and security

TERROR WARS
US. unveils $500M in military aid at final Ukraine defense summit before Trump takes office

US announces $5.9 bn in military, budget aid for Ukraine

Software-driven smart munitions reshape tactical drone operations

UK and Australia to supply military equipment to Kyiv

TERROR WARS
Germany opposes Trump call to raise NATO defence spending to 5% of GDP

China saw record trade with Russia in 2024: customs data

Europe doubts Trump could make NATO spend 5% of GDP on defence

New chairman takes over Dassault billionaire family holding

TERROR WARS
Outgoing US ambassador to Japan takes parting shot at China

American leadership on Ukraine 'critical': US defence chief

EU, UK, NATO leaders to hold Feb 3 defence talks

Chinese artist cashes in on Buddha-like Trump statues

TERROR WARS
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.