SAEDNEWS: Qatar’s Prime Minister denounced the recent Israeli attacks on Doha as “state terror,” saying the Israeli regime’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs to be “brought to justice."
On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Qatar of aiding and abetting “terrorists,” stating, “I say to Qatar and all nations who harbour terrorists, you either expel them or you bring them to justice — because if you don’t, we will.”
In response, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani condemned Netanyahu’s remarks, asserting, “We don’t accept such a threat coming from someone like Netanyahu… he needs to be brought to justice, he is the one wanted by the ICC.”
Al-Thani emphasized that the presence of Palestinian leaders in Doha, part of ongoing negotiations, was well-known to both Israel and the United States. He criticized Israel’s recent actions, saying they violated Qatar’s sovereignty and crossed “a very minimum level of manners and ethics,” and noted that the U.S. informed Qatar of the attack “too late.”
The Qatari Emir also expressed concern for Palestinian hostages in Gaza: “I was meeting one of the hostages’ families the morning of the attack. They are counting on this [ceasefire] mediation. They have no other hope for that.”
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs echoed the Emir’s condemnation, labeling Netanyahu’s comments a “shameful attempt … to justify the cowardly attack that targeted Qatari territory, as well as the explicit threats of future violations of state sovereignty.” The ministry underscored that Israel was fully aware that hosting the Hamas office in Doha was part of Qatar’s U.S.- and Israel-requested mediation efforts.
Israel has reportedly threatened to target Hamas leaders in Qatar again if the group’s officials are not expelled. Hamas confirmed that its senior negotiators survived the recent attack, but five members were killed, including Jihad Labad, Hammam al-Hayya, Abdullah Abdul Wahid, Moumen Hassouna, and Ahmed al-Mamlouk. Qatari security officer Badr Saad Muhammad Al-Humaidi was also among the victims.
Over three days, Israel launched attacks across Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Tunisia, and Qatar, while continuing daily operations in the occupied West Bank.
The attacks on Doha have prompted regional leaders to rally around Qatar. United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan called for a collective response, confirming that an Arab-Islamic summit will be held in Doha in the coming days to determine the next course of action.
