Mossad and Qatar officials meet, as Israel bombards Gaza

The head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency met Qatar’s prime minister in Europe late on Dec 15, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, as attention turned to a possible new Gaza truce and a prisoner and hostage deal.

Israel bombarded targets across Gaza on Dec 16, but two Egyptian security sources said Israeli officials now appeared more willing to work towards a ceasefire and an exchange of Palestinian prisoners for Israeli hostages held by Hamas.

The meeting between David Barnea and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was apparently the first between senior officials from Israel and Qatar, which has been acting as a mediator, since the collapse of a seven-day ceasefire in late November.

News of the meeting came after Israeli forces mistakenly killed three hostages held by Hamas in Gaza on Dec 15, putting increased pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to find a way to secure the release of more than 100 others held.

An Israeli military official said the hostages killed had been holding a white flag, according to an initial inquiry.

Mr Netanyahu’s office said he would hold a televised press conference with Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Dec 16 evening.

Combat has intensified in the past two weeks since the collapse of the truce that had allowed dozens of Israeli hostages held in Gaza to be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

Israeli forces bombarded targets across Gaza on Dec 16, including a crowded YMCA building, with dozens of Palestinians reported killed or wounded, despite a renewed US call to scale down the campaign and focus on Hamas leaders.

Two Christian women who had taken refuge in a church complex in Gaza were shot dead by an Israeli soldier, Catholic Church authorities said. Seven other people were shot and wounded. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

In Khan Younis in Gaza’s south, Palestinian health officials said the Nasser Hospital had received 20 Palestinians killed in air strikes overnight, in addition to dozens of wounded, including women and children.

Palestinian health officials also said Israeli strikes on Gaza City in the north had hit the YMCA headquarters, which is sheltering hundreds of displaced people and reported several dead and wounded.

The Israeli military said it was “operating to dismantle Hamas military and administrative capabilities”.

The official WAFA news agency said at least three dozen people had been killed in strikes on three houses in the Jabalia refugee camp, which health officials were unable to confirm.

Rescue workers believed some casualties remained buried under the rubble in some of those areas.