Qatar Rebukes Netanyahu for Critical Comments

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, known for his far-right views, openly criticized Qatar for its role in the ongoing hostage crisis involving Israel and Hamas. This critique followed a leaked recording where Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allegedly expressed concerns over Qatar’s mediation efforts in resolving the situation.

Smotrich, voicing his opinion on social media, directly blamed Qatar for the tragic events of the October 7 Hamas attack, labeling the country as a supporter and financier of terrorism. He further accused Western nations of hypocrisy for maintaining diplomatic ties with Qatar and urged them to use their influence more assertively to secure the immediate release of the hostages.

Qatar, alongside Egypt, has been a mediator since the conflict erupted after the Hamas attack. Their efforts led to a week-long ceasefire in November, resulting in the release of 105 hostages, including Israelis, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas rebuked Smotrich and Netanyahu’s statements, defending Qatar’s role in seeking to halt aggression against the Palestinian people. A senior Hamas official, Taher al-Nono, stated that such comments obstruct progress in negotiations regarding prisoner exchanges.

These developments coincide with U.S. President Joe Biden’s Middle East envoy Brett McGurk’s visit to the region, aiming to broker a new deal for the release of the remaining captives in return for a ceasefire.

A Hamas delegation reportedly met with Egypt’s intelligence chief in Cairo to discuss new ceasefire proposals. Meanwhile, Qatar expressed shock over the remarks attributed to Netanyahu, with Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari condemning them as irresponsible and counterproductive to life-saving efforts.

The Hamas attack led to approximately 1,140 deaths in Israel, mostly civilians, as per an AFP tally using Israeli data. The attack also resulted in the abduction of around 250 hostages, with about 132, including the bodies of 28 believed to be deceased, still held captive in Gaza.