Qatar has strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments about the presence of a Hamas office in the Gulf state, labeling them as “reckless” in a statement released early Thursday.
This exchange followed Israel’s attempt to target Hamas leaders in a Qatar airstrike on Tuesday, intensifying the Middle East conflict and drawing widespread international criticism.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu urged Qatar to either expel Hamas officials or “bring them to justice,” warning that failure to do so would prompt Israeli action. He accused Qatar of offering sanctuary and financial support to Hamas, which prompted a sharp response from Doha.
Stay updated with breaking news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Qatar’s foreign ministry denounced Netanyahu’s remarks as “explicit threats of future violations of state sovereignty.”
“Netanyahu is well aware that the hosting of the Hamas office was part of Qatar’s mediation efforts, requested by the United States and Israel,” the ministry stated.
“These negotiations were conducted officially and transparently, with international backing and the presence of US and Israeli teams. Netanyahu’s claim that Qatar secretly sheltered the Hamas delegation is a desperate attempt to justify an act condemned globally.”
Qatar, alongside Egypt, has been mediating peace talks between Hamas and Israel and warned that Israel’s attack on Doha could jeopardize these discussions.
“We will collaborate with our partners to ensure Netanyahu is held accountable and that his reckless actions are halted,” the foreign ministry asserted.
