New: Israeli Negotiators Go Back to Doha With New Mandate

The official explained that this is the first time since the current round of negotiations started that the negotiating team has more specific positions and discretion to finalize a variety of items in the deal.

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Despite the negotiating team receiving a larger mandate to seal a deal than it had in past rounds, when the team had at best received approved general principles for a deal, there are still some issues about which the cabinet has not given its final opinion, said the official.

The official also said that the negotiations were still through Qatar, but have reached a clearer direct point with Gaza Chief Yahya Sinwar himself, with less confusion and interference from Hamas’s Qatar leadership, which currently have less influence on the terms of a final deal.

Ed Morrissey

I wonder if this is just a PR attempt to counter Hamas' PR attempt last week. The report describes another absurdly unbalanced trade of 1:10 for living and dead hostages and 1:50 for Israeli women still left alive. If that also gets Hamas to leave Gaza, it might be worth it, but maybe that's what Israel wants to force -- a shift in the world-opinion burden to Hamas. Otherwise, this is just a deal to freeze the conflict again until Hamas rebuilds its strength and starts the next round of the war. 

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