Israeli minister makes secret trip to the Emirates for diplomatic talks

Ron Dermer, a close ally of Netanyahu, recently visited the UAE to discuss Gaza ceasefire deal and security matters

Israel's Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, near the White House in Washington, DC on 26 December 2023 (AFP/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)

Israel's Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, near the White House in Washington, DC, on 26 December 2023 (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP)

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Ron Dermer, Israel’s strategic affairs minister, has recently visited the United Arab Emirates to discuss the war in Gaza, according to Israel’s Kan public broadcaster.

Dermer is a close ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and took charge of Israel’s negotiating team in ceasefire talks earlier this year.

According to Kan, he made a secret trip to the Emirates with a high-level delegation.

As well as discussing the war in Gaza, they also reportedly discussed security and diplomatic affairs. Dermer’s office did not comment on the meeting.

It was reported earlier this week that the strategic affairs minister plans to retire from politics before the next election, which is set for October next year.

Dermer was Israel’s ambassador to the US between 2013 and 2021. He was seen as a key figure in negotiating the so-called Abraham Accords, which saw the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan normalise relations with Israel in 2020.

Since February, he has taken charge of Gaza truce talks, which had previously been led by Mossad chief David Barnea and former Shin Bet head Ronen Bar.

Senior Hamas official Basem Naim said on Monday that Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire proposal presented by mediators.

"The movement has handed over its approval to the new proposal presented by the mediators," Naim wrote on Facebook.

Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal set out by mediators, sources say

Reuters reported earlier on Monday, citing an Egyptian source, that Hamas had agreed to a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza that would see half the remaining Israeli captives in the enclave freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a stop in fighting.

It is thought that around 49 captives are being held in Gaza, of whom 20 are still alive. Among the bodies being held, one is of an Israeli soldier killed in Gaza in 2014.

Netanyahu issued cryptic remarks in a video on Monday appearing to address Hamas's statement that it had agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza.

"I, like you, hear the reports in the media, and from them you can get one impression - Hamas is under immense pressure," he said.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he opposed any ceasefire in Gaza after Hamas said it accepted a deal put forward by Arab mediators.

“We fight only to win! Under no circumstances to stop in the middle with a partial deal that abandons half of the hostages and could lead to ending the war in defeat,” Smotrich wrote in a post on X.

US President Donald Trump on Monday said that Hamas must be "confronted and destroyed" in order for the captives to be retrieved from Gaza, effectively backing Netanyahu and his far right government's latest offensive to fully occupy Gaza.

"We will only see the return of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!! The sooner this takes place, the better the chances of success will be," he wrote on his social media platform, TruthSocial.

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Hamas official slams Bahrain's welcome of new Israeli ambassador

Hamas official slams Bahrain's welcome of new Israeli ambassador

Israeli minister makes secret trip to the Emirates for diplomatic talks

Israeli minister makes secret trip to the Emirates for diplomatic talks

Israeli minister makes secret trip to the Emirates for diplomatic talks

Israeli minister makes secret trip to the Emirates for diplomatic talks