Netanyahu apologizes to Qatar over Doha strike: Axios
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Netanyahu apologizes to Qatar over Doha strike that killed a security officer, a key step toward Gaza ceasefire talks.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in occupied al-Quds, on July 30, 2023 (AP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Monday over a recent airstrike that violated Qatari sovereignty and led to the death of a Qatari security officer, a source familiar with the matter told Axios.
The apology reportedly came during Netanyahu’s meeting with US President Donald Trump and was seen as a key condition set by Doha for resuming indirect negotiations with Hamas over a potential agreement to end the war on Gaza and release the remaining captives.
Following the meeting, the White House confirmed that Netanyahu expressed "deep regret" that "Israel's" missile strike against "Hamas targets" in Qatar "unintentionally" killed a Qatari serviceman and that "Israel" violated Qatari sovereignty while affirming that it will not conduct such an attack again in the future.
According to the White House, Qatari PM Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani welcomed these assurances, emphasizing Qatar's readiness to continue contributing meaningfully to regional security.
The controversial September 9 strike in Doha was aimed at targeting senior Hamas figures, but instead resulted in the killing of lower-ranking officials. The attack sparked widespread condemnation across the Arab world and further isolated "Israel" diplomatically.
However, the fallout from the strike has paradoxically helped build momentum behind a broader regional effort to broker a comprehensive deal, one Trump hopes to finalize during Netanyahu’s Washington visit.
Ben-Gvir takes a swing at Netanyahu’s apology
Meanwhile, in a post on X, Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, seemingly taking a jab at Netanyahu, described the attack on the “enemy state of Qatar” as important, “just, and morally unparalleled,” emphasizing that it was “very good” that it took place.
