Qatari PM: Netanyahu ‘Killed Any Hope’ for Israeli Hostages After Strike in Doha
Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, has sharply condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of “killing any hope” for the release of hostages in Gaza following Israel’s attempted assassination of Hamas leaders in Doha.
In an exclusive interview with CNN on Wednesday, Al-Thani described Israel’s actions as “barbaric” and a betrayal of Qatar’s mediation role.
“We were thinking that we are dealing with civilized people. The action that (Netanyahu) took I cannot describe it, but it’s a barbaric action,” he said.
The strike on Tuesday targeted Hamas’ negotiating delegation in Doha. While Hamas reported that five members were killed, the group’s chief negotiator, Khalil Al-Hayya, was not confirmed among the casualties. Al-Thani declined to reveal Al-Hayya’s fate, saying, “Until now … there is no official declaration.”
The Qatari leader confirmed that a 22-year-old Qatari security officer was killed in the attack, and investigations were ongoing to determine if others were missing.
Visibly angered, Al-Thani told CNN:
“I have no words to express how enraged we are from such an action. … This is state terror. We are betrayed.”
Ceasefire Talks in Jeopardy
The attack has cast a shadow over ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Hamas was expected to respond to a U.S.-backed proposal on Tuesday evening, but the strike disrupted the process.
Al-Thani accused Netanyahu of deliberately undermining peace efforts:
“Netanyahu has undermined any chance of stability, any chance of peace. I’ve been rethinking, even about the entire process for the last few weeks, that Netanyahu was just wasting our time. He wasn’t serious about anything.”
He added that Qatar is now “reassessing everything” regarding its role as mediator, while holding “very detailed conversations” with U.S. officials on the way forward.
U.S. Reaction
Qatar hosts the largest U.S. military base in the Middle East and remains a key American ally. According to U.S. officials, President Donald Trump was informed of the strike only shortly beforehand not by Israel, but through the U.S. military.
While the White House stopped short of condemning the strike, Trump’s spokesperson said the president was “concerned.” Al-Thani, however, noted that Washington had expressed its support for Qatar “on many occasions.”
The U.S. has proposed a new ceasefire framework, which Trump said Israel has accepted. Al-Thani has urged Hamas to “respond positively” despite Tuesday’s events.
Regional Response
The Qatari prime minister revealed that consultations are underway for a collective regional response to Israel’s actions.
“There is a response that will happen from the region. This response is currently under consultation and discussion with other partners,” he said.
He also announced that an Arab-Islamic summit will be held in Doha in the coming days to decide the next course of action.
“We are hoping for something meaningful that deters Israel from continuing this bullying,” Al-Thani said.
