The direct talks that took place between Trump's hostage envoy and Hamas in recent days express, to a great extent, the U.S. administration's lack of trust in Netanyahu and the ability of Qatar and Egypt to lead the talks to an understanding 🧵 By Jonathan Lis - ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

voices4justice.bsky.social • 32 days ago

The direct talks that took place between Trump's hostage envoy and Hamas in recent days express, to a great extent, the U.S. administration's lack of trust in Netanyahu and the ability of Qatar and Egypt to lead the talks to an understanding 🧵

By Jonathan Lis

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barbcapo.bsky.social•32 days ago

Just confirmng what I have said for a long time. Birds of a feather flock together. Netanyahu and trump cannot be trusted? and both are dangerous, they will keep wars and destruction going, so that there butts are not locked up. They care nothing about anyone, but themselves!

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

If we evacuate 10,000 people a day, seven days a week, it will take half a year," Smotrich said, adding that "Budget will not be an obstacle."

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

"This is a plan that's taking shape. There is action now with the administration. Naturally, I cannot go into the details. In the end, it's a huge logistical operation:

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

"When we first started talking about this, a year and a half ago when the war started, we were seen as delusional and crazy, just as we were when we talked about the need to conquer Gaza," he said at the Land of Israel Lobby conference in the Knesset.

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on Sunday that Israel is determined to advance Trump's plan to evacuate Gaza's population, despite it being a red line for Arab countries and key European states.

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

"There is no agreement between Israel and Hamas on a temporary cease-fire for Ramadan," but did not rule out the possibility of such an understanding between Hamas and the U.S. administration.

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

Hamas and the U.S., Israel may find it difficult to oppose it.

Senior officials have spoken ambiguously and non-committally about these talks throughout the week. One source familiar with the details said that

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

In recent days, Israeli officials admitted that the direct talks Adam Boehler conducted with Hamas took place "behind Israel's back," without its ability to influence them. One official expressed concern that if an agreement is reached through this channel between

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

the only point at which power was restored was last July, for a wastewater treatment facility.

This move followed Netanyahu's directive last week to stop humanitarian aid from entering the Gaza Strip, even though Hamas currently has enough supplies to last for several months.

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

Ahead of the resumption of talks, Israel made dramatic but ultimately meaningless threats against Hamas. Energy Minister Eli Cohen signed an order on Saturday to cut electricity to Gaza, despite the fact that Israel had already halted electricity when the war broke out;

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

On the first day, half of the living and dead hostages will be released in return for Palestinian security prisoners, and at the end – if an agreement is reached on a permanent cease-fire – the rest of the hostages, alive and dead, will be released.

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

"We are willing to negotiate with Hamas only over the Witkoff framework," a senior Israeli official told Haaretz, and Hamas "is aware of this."

According to Witkoff's proposal, a two-month cease-fire period between the two sides will be declared.

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

Israeli officials said on Sunday that the direct talks have failed and said Hamas has in any case rejected the American proposal, which was meant to bridge the gaps between the two sides, and was formulated by Witkoff.

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

While the Americans describe Boehler's talks as "constructive," and Hamas said over the weekend there are "positive indications" of progress in the negotiations over the second stage of the hostage deal, Israel has a rather cooler view:

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

and Egypt, to lead the talks to an understanding.

Israel was updated beforehand about the direct talks, which were intended mostly to free the Israelis with American citizenship who are being held hostage in Gaza: IDF soldier Edan Alexander as well as the bodies of four other hostages.

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

during which the United States and other countries will ensure the group does not pose a threat to Israel. These exceptional direct talks led by Boehler express, to a great extent, the Trump administration's lack of trust in Netanyahu and the ability of the mediator nations, Qatar and

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

to the demands from the Israeli side: Releasing all the hostages within weeks, disarming Hamas and removing the terrorist group from its positions of rule in the Gaza Strip.

Boehler said Hamas has proposed a 'Hudna' – five to 10 year cease-fire,

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

Witkoff's colleague, the special envoy for the hostages Adam Boehler, who has conducted direct talks with senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in recent days, revealed the opening position he presented to Hamas on Sunday – and which actually corresponds to a great extent

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

and Ophir Falk, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

U.S. special envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff is also expected to arrive in Doha, most likely on Wednesday, to advance the talks between the sides.

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

The Israeli security cabinet was convened to determine the updated mandate to be given to the Israeli negotiators, who will be led by M., a former deputy head of the Shin Bet security service; Gal Hirsch, the government coordinator for the hostages and missing;

voices4justice.bsky.social•32 days ago

The Israeli negotiating team is expected to leave for Qatar on Monday for the renewal of talks with Hamas on the continuation of the next stage of the Gaza cease-fire agreement.