Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a direct threat to Hamas leaders residing in Qatar, blaming them for obstructing ceasefire negotiations and prolonging the conflict in Gaza. In a statement on X, Netanyahu accused the Hamas politburo based in Doha of preventing the release of hostages and drawing out the war. He stated, “The Hamas terrorist chiefs living in Qatar don’t care about the people in Gaza. They blocked all ceasefire attempts in order to endlessly drag out the war. Getting rid of them would rid the main obstacle to releasing all our hostages and ending the war.”
This warning is part of a broader criticism from Israel regarding Qatar’s hosting of high-ranking Hamas officials, including Ismail Haniyeh. Israel contends these leaders are directing the war from a secure location. Earlier in the week, Netanyahu invoked the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, suggesting Israel would take action against Hamas leaders regardless of their location if Qatar did not expel them or bring them to justice. He declared, “Bring them to justice, because if you don’t, we will.”
Qatar has strongly refuted Netanyahu’s remarks, describing them as “reckless.” The Qatari government maintains that hosting Hamas leaders is part of its role in internationally supported mediation efforts involving the United States and Israel. The Qatari Foreign Ministry issued a statement defending the transparency of the negotiations, highlighting the presence of US and Israeli delegations, and condemning Netanyahu’s accusations as an attempt to justify actions viewed negatively by the international community.
Reports indicate that an Israeli airstrike in Doha targeted a meeting of senior Hamas leaders, who were allegedly discussing a new US-backed proposal related to a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza.