Israel's Mossad hosts Qatari counterparts on Gaza talks -official

Nave Shoham, a released Israeli hostage, interacts with an Israeli soldier shortly after his arrival in Israel

Nave Shoham, 8, a released Israeli hostage, interacts with an Israeli soldier shortly after his arrival in Israel on November 25, after being held hostage by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, at an unknown location in Israel, in this handout picture released by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office on November 26, 2023. Israeli Prime Minister's Office/Handout via REUTERS

Source: X80001

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel's Mossad intelligence service is hosting its Qatari counterparts to confer on the recovery of hostages held by Hamas and other elements of a Gaza truce that was mediated by Doha, an Israeli security official said on Sunday.

Qatari intelligence officers arrived on Saturday for an indefinite stay in Israel, the official said, adding that cooperation between the agencies is "traditionally close", despite the lack of formal relations between the countries.

Qatar's international media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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A Qatari delegation travelled to Israel on Saturday to discuss a possible extension to the truce, another official told Reuters on Saturday, but it was unclear if intelligence officials were involved in the talks.

The second official said on Sunday that a handful of Qataris remained working in Israel "to strengthen coordination during the operations and to ensure the process ran smoothly, while coordinating with the operations room in Doha."

Gas-rich Gulf state Qatar hosts several top Hamas officials and the group's political office. Qatar also has cordial relations with Iran, Israel's arch-foe, which backs Hamas.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters