A Qatari flag is seen at a park near the Doha Corniche, in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 17, 2018. Photo: Reuters / Ibraheem al Omari.

i24 News – An Israeli delegation arrived in Doha, the capital of Qatar, on Sunday evening to advance talks on a hostage deal. The delegation includes Coordinator for the Captives and the Missing Gal Hirsch, a senior Shin Bet official, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political advisor Ophir Falk, and other officials from the IDF, Mossad, and Shin Bet security agency.

Israel has made it clear that some parts of Hamas’ response “are not acceptable to Israel.” But an Israeli source tells i24NEWS that “Israel thinks that Hamas’ response does allow for a deal to be concluded, which is why they decided to send a delegation.”

A source familiar with the details of the talks tells i24NEWS that the gaps between the sides are small. “A deal can be reached even within a day,” the source said. “They are not that significant, it all depends on how stubborn the parties will be and how much pressure there will be from the American president.”

In addition to talks about the ceasefire, Netanyahu is expected to ask US President Donald Trump during a visit to Washington, DC, for a “green light” to act against any Iranian activity related to rebuilding the Iranian nuclear program. The Israeli source told i24NEWS that “the goal is to receive a mandate similar to what is happening in Lebanon. That is, if there is identification of suspicious activity at the nuclear sites, if there is suspicion of removing uranium from the stockpiles – there will already be American approval to act against this activity.”

The Israeli goal is to establish an American mechanism that will work to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear program. Israel is interested in increasing pressure on Tehran, the source said: “They want the sanctions of the snapback mechanism to be imposed on Iran because it is not cooperating with the IAEA.”