Israel has decided to continue talks to try to reach a deal to facilitate the release of hostages held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas and a ceasefire in the Gaza war. A high-ranking Israeli delegation will be travelling to Qatar and Egypt in the coming days, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday. Netanyahu had assured the Israeli negotiating team, led by the head of the foreign intelligence service Mossad and the head of the domestic intelligence service Shin Bet, that they would have room for manoeuvre in the negotiations, it said without providing further de…