Mossad director visited Doha for Gaza deal talks

The director of the Israeli Mossad, David Barnea, met with Qatar's prime minister in Doha to discuss a hostage-release and ceasefire in Gaza deal. This meeting is part of an effort to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas before President-elect Trump's inauguration in January. There are 100 hostages still being held in Gaza, including seven Americans, with Israeli intelligence believing roughly half are still alive. Israel recently gave Hamas an updated proposal for a deal to release some of the hostages and begin a ceasefire in Gaza. Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz told U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that there is a chance for a new deal that could lead to the release of all hostages, including Americans. Trump's national security adviser Mike Waltz met with the families of the American hostages held in Gaza, marking the first time a senior member of the incoming Trump administration has done so since the presidential election. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has been working closely with Trump's team to secure the safe release of all hostages and met with the families for the fifteenth time. Biden doesn't have much leverage over leaders in the region, but Trump's public demand for the release of the hostages puts pressure on Hamas, the Egyptian and Qatari mediators, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a deal. Sullivan is traveling to Israel, Egypt, and Qatar this week in a last-ditch effort to reach a deal before Trump's inauguration in less than six weeks.