Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mardawi has placed responsibility on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the collapse of discussions regarding a potential prisoner exchange deal.
Al-Mardawi conveyed to a website affiliated with the Hamas movement that Netanyahu consistently introduces unnecessary hurdles unrelated to the negotiations. According to him, any progress made is swiftly derailed due to Netanyahu’s actions. Al-Mardawi asserts that Netanyahu is uninterested in reaching an agreement and actively works to obstruct the process.
Despite these accusations, Netanyahu yielded to pressure from security officials and empowered an Israeli delegation before their departure for Qatar on Friday evening.
The delegation, led by Mossad chief David Barnea, embarked on talks in Qatar with broader authority in an effort to secure a deal regarding detained individuals. Notable figures participating in the discussions included the Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman, and head of the Egyptian Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel.
According to Israeli Channel 12, prior to their departure, Barnea, along with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar and Major General (ret.) Nitzan Alon, demanded expanded negotiating powers to ensure effectiveness. Bar made it clear that unless these powers were granted, he would not travel to Qatar. After pressure from Defense Minister Yoav Galant, as well as Ministers Benny Gantz, Gadi Eisenkot, and Aryeh Deri, Netanyahu ultimately acquiesced, providing negotiators with enhanced authority.
