Qatar says Netanyahu’s remarks ‘destructive’ to hostage deal efforts

ISTANBUL

Qatar denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday after he was heard in a leaked recording criticizing Doha’s mediation efforts between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas aimed at securing the release of the remaining hostages being held in Gaza.

Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari made the statement in response to the recording, which was broadcast Tuesday by Israel’s Channel 12, in which Netanyahu said he did not publicly thank Doha because it had not done enough to press Hamas and advised the US to put more pressure on the Qatari government.

“We are appalled by the alleged remarks attributed to the Israeli prime minister in various media reports about Qatar’s mediation role,” said Al-Ansari.

“These remarks, if validated, are irresponsible and destructive to the efforts to save innocent lives, but are not surprising,” he added.

Al-Ansari said that “for months, and following successful mediation last year that led to the release of more than a hundred hostages, Qatar has been engaged in regular dialogue with the negotiating parties, including Israeli institutions, attempting to establish the framework for a new hostage agreement and the immediate entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.”

He further noted that “If the reported remarks are found to be true, the Israeli PM would only be obstructing and undermining the mediation process for reasons that appear to serve his political career instead of prioritizing saving innocent lives, including Israeli hostages.”

“Instead of concerning himself with Qatar’s strategic relations with the United States, we hope Netanyahu decides to operate in good faith and concentrate on the release of the hostages,” he added.

There was no immediate response from Netanyahu's office to Al-Ansari's statements.

On Tuesday, Al-Ansari affirmed that mediation efforts between Palestinians and Israelis are still ongoing to stop the fighting and exchange prisoners, while Qatari mediation and efforts continue to ensure the entry of aid and medicine into Gaza.

On Dec. 1 last year, a temporary pause between Hamas and Israel mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US ended after seven days, during which prisoners were exchanged and limited humanitarian aid was allowed into the territory, home to about 2.3 million Palestinians.

Israel estimates that there are approximately 136 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip, according to media reports and statements from Israeli officials.

Since Oct. 7 last year, the Israeli army has been conducting a destructive war in the Gaza Strip resulting in 25,700 deaths and 63,740 injuries, most of them women and children, say Palestinian authorities, and causing massive destruction and an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, according to the United Nations.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala