Cabinet approves mandate for Israeli negotiating team headed to Qatar

The meeting of the Political-Security Cabinet concluded on Sunday night after more than three hours.

The Cabinet approved the departure of the Israeli delegation, headed by Mossad chief David Barnea, to Doha on Monday, where it will discuss the details of the plan for the release of the hostages.

The Cabinet gave the Israeli delegation a general mandate and authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to discuss tactical details.

An official with knowledge of the details said that the delegation "will be able to conduct extensive negotiations".

On Saturday, the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper reported that the first stage of the currently proposed deal would include a 42-day ceasefire, which in the second stage would become permanent.

Hamas is demanding that in the first stage, displaced Gazans would be allowed to return to the northern Gaza Strip and to allow for aid to reach the north and for there to be freedom of movement.

The newspaper also reported that Hamas is demanding the release of 50 terrorists, 30 of whom are serving life sentences, for every living Israeli female soldier, woman, child, elderly, and sick person in captivity.

At the beginning of the second stage, Hamas is demanding the declaration of a permanent ceasefire before any prisoner swap that would include the male soldiers in captivity. In the third stage, the terror organization demands the reconstruction of the entire Gaza Strip.