Mossad chief visits Doha amid conflicting reports on captives deal talks

Mossad chief David Barnea was in Doha on Thursday for meetings with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, according to multiple reports from 'Israeli' news outlets, in a visit that 'Israeli' officials have sought to downplay.

The meeting reportedly focused on efforts to revive stalled ceasefire and captive deal negotiations, even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office maintains a hardline public position.

While two 'Israeli' officials reportedly told Reuters that the purpose of Barnea’s visit was to restart the captive deal talks, another senior 'Israeli' official was quick to deny this. This official told 'The Times of Israel' that Barnea was in Qatar “on matters related to the Mossad, and not regarding the negotiations for a captive deal.”

This public contradiction follows a pattern of recent statements from Netanyahu's office, which has been signaling a shift away from a partial, phased captive deal in favor of a comprehensive agreement to release all remaining captives at once. An 'Israeli' political source cited by local news stated that Barnea was told to clarify in the meeting that "a partial deal...is off the table."

The visit comes amidst reports that a Hamas delegation has also arrived in Qatar, aiming to restart negotiations and avert 'Israel's' stated plan to further escalate its offensive by conquering Gaza City. In a statement on Tuesday, Netanyahu said that "we want them all [the captives] back as part of ending the war, but under the conditions of ending the war on our terms."

This situation highlights the ongoing tension between 'Israel's' negotiating team, which has been pushing for a deal, and the more hardline positions of Netanyahu's government.