Israel delegation postpones Qatar trip for Gaza ceasefire talks amid Netanyahu's US visit

An Israeli delegation will not travel to Doha this week for Gaza ceasefire and hostage release negotiations as previously expected, Israeli officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The reason behind the delay is reportedly due to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s postponed meeting with US President Joe Biden in Washington, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel, which itself was delayed from Tuesday to Thursday.

The official added that it is uncertain when the Israeli delegation is due to leave for Doha, but Israeli media outlets have reportedly said negotiators could depart next week.

He said they are "continuing discussions with Arab mediators", despite the delay.

The delegation was expected in Qatar, a key mediator country, on Thursday. The official added that Netanyahu is reportedly due to discuss details of the deal with Biden, during their upcoming meeting.

Families of the remaining Israeli captives in Gaza expressed outrage over the delay. The mother of one hostage told The Times of Israel: "Instead of proclaiming before Congress that he accepts the deal on the table, Netanyahu is stopping the deal from going ahead for personal reasons."

Netanyahu’s rival Benny Gantz said the PM should "put his money where his mouth is" regarding a hostage deal.

Israeli officials say that 120 Israeli captives remain held in Gaza, including at least 44 who have been declared dead by the Israeli army.

Over 100 Israeli hostages have been released since October 7.

Israel has waged a deadly military offensive in the besieged Gaza Strip for over nine months, killing at least 39,175 Palestinians as of Thursday, in atrocities described as a genocide by rights groups, NGOs, and several world governments.

Netanyahu, who addressed Congress in Washington late on Wednesday, has been criticised by Hamas over his speech. Senior official Sami Abu Zuhri said that it showed that the Israeli leader "does not want to conclude a ceasefire deal".

Abu Zuhri added that the speech was "full of lies" and that he "will not succeed in covering up for the failure and defeat in the face of the resistance to cover up for the crimes of the war of genocide his army is committing against the people of Gaza".

In his speech, Netanyahu called for a global alliance against Iran, who he largely blamed for violence in the region and for "funding" pro-Gaza protesters. The premier claimed he was "confident" that a hostage release and ceasefire deal could be reached.

Netanyahu has faced mounting criticism recently in Israel, particularly from hostages’ families, for failing to secure a deal that would see the release of the remaining captives held in Gaza. Protesters in the country and analysts have accused him of deliberately prolonging the war in a bid to cling onto power and avoid potential corruption charges.

The PM's arrival in the US was greeted by protests in support of Gaza, with many protesters arrested by US police. Anti-government activists in Tel Aviv said Netanyahu’s speech "fell short by not committing Israel to the terms of a deal aimed at releasing the over 100 captives remaining in Gaza," The Times of Israel reported.