A delegation of Israeli officials arrived in Cairo on Friday to engage in negotiations on a possible hostage exchange deal, according to Israeli reports.
Israeli Army Radio reported that Mossad spy agency chief David Barnea and Shin Bet security agency head Ronen Bar are among the delegates in Cairo. The delegation is expected to meet with Abbas Kamel, the head of Egyptian intelligence, as well as senior officials in the Egyptian army, according to the Israeli news website Walla.
“The departure of the delegation to Cairo is the result of heavy American pressure on Israel and Egypt in recent days to continue negotiations on the hostage deal despite the assassination of the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh,” the website quoted unnamed sources.
Haniyeh was assassinated on Wednesday in the Iranian capital, Tehran. While Hamas and Iran blamed Israel for the killing, Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied responsibility. The assassination came a day after Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut.
Hamas and Iran have vowed to retaliate for Haniyeh’s assassination, while Hezbollah has pledged to respond to Shukr’s killing.
Israeli media reported that pressure from the US and Israeli security leaders forced Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, to send the delegation to Cairo, noting that the talks will address the kidnapped deal and arrangements along the Philadelphia Corridor.
