Doha: The head of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, David Barnea, visited the Qatari capital Doha on Thursday for discussions aimed at resuming Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap negotiations with Hamas, Israeli media reported.

According to Anadolu Agency, Barnea met with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, though further details of their discussions were not disclosed. The visit, reported by US news website Axios, marks the highest-level contact between Israel and mediators since the talks stalled in Doha three weeks prior.

Axios revealed that Barnea conveyed to Qatari officials Israel's preparedness to initiate a military operation in Gaza City should there be no advancement in hostage negotiations soon. The mediation efforts involve the US, Qatar, Egypt, and Trkiye, all working towards a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release agreement.

The news outlet also reported that a Hamas delegation recently held discussions with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Istanbul before traveling to Cairo to meet Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad, exploring ways to resume the negotiations.

Israeli Channel 13 suggested that Hamas might present a new proposal for a Gaza ceasefire. However, there was no official response from Hamas or Qatari officials regarding the Israeli report.

Egypt's state-run Al-Qahera News channel, referencing an Egyptian source, reported earlier that Hamas is ready to 'swiftly' return to ceasefire negotiations with Israel. Meanwhile, the Israeli army, despite international calls for a ceasefire, has continued its military actions in the Gaza Strip since October 2023, resulting in the deaths of over 61,700 Palestinians.

In a related development, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.