Benjamin Netanyahu warns Hamas leaders in Qatar, accuses them of blocking Gaza ceasefire: ‘Getting rid of them would…’

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the Hamas leaders in Qatar are obstructing ceasefire efforts and extending the conflict in Gaza.

In a post on the social media platform X, Netanyahu said these Hamas leaders are dragging the war on endlessly and avoiding the release of hostages. His post read, “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.”

Netanyahu’s remarks come as Israel repeatedly criticised Qatar for hosting top Hamas leaders, according to The Times of Israel.

This week, Netanyahu drew parallels between Israel’s campaign against Hamas leaders in Qatar and the US response to the September 11, 2001, attacks. In a video message, he stated that Israel would take action against Hamas leaders “wherever they are”, unless Qatar forced them out or handed them over to justice, Times of Israel noted.

Netanyahu said, “Bring them to justice, because if you don’t, we will.”

Qatar’s response

Qatar dismissed Netanyahu’s earlier claims as “reckless” and pointed out that hosting Hamas leaders was part of internationally backed mediation efforts involving the US and Israel.

Following Netanyahu’s remark about Qatar hosting Hamas leaders, the foreign ministry released a statement condemning his comments. “Netanyahu is fully aware that the hosting of the Hamas office took place within the framework of Qatar’s mediation efforts requested by the United States and Israel,” an ANI report quoted the statement.

“The negotiations were always held in an official and transparent manner, with international support and in the presence of US and Israeli delegations. Netanyahu’s insinuation that Qatar secretly harboured the Hamas delegation is a desperate attempt to justify a crime condemned by the entire world,” it added.

On Tuesday, Israel carried out an airstrike in Doha that targeted a meeting of Hamas’s senior leaders, who were believed to be discussing a new US-backed proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza, the Times of Israel reported.

(With inputs from agencies.)