Doha rejects Israeli claim linking Qatari aid to October 7 attack

Qatar has rejected accusations made by Israel’s domestic security agency, Shin Bet, which alleged that financial aid from Qatar contributed to the strengthening of Hamas’s military capabilities ahead of the October 7, 2023 attack. Qatar dismissed these claims as false and described them as politically motivated attempts to deflect blame.

The statement from Qatar’s International Media Office accused Israeli authorities of using the allegations for political cover within Israel, particularly after Shin Bet released an internal review acknowledging its own failures in preventing the large-scale cross-border assault. That attack, launched from Gaza into southern Israel, triggered more than a year of devastating conflict in the Palestinian territory.

In its internal review, Shin Bet highlighted what it called the influx of Qatari funds as a significant factor that enabled Hamas to enhance its military strength, which ultimately made the October 7 attack possible. Qatar firmly denied the claim, saying that all financial aid it provided to Gaza was transferred with the full knowledge, approval, and oversight of both the current and previous Israeli governments, as well as their security agencies, including Shin Bet.

Qatar emphasized that none of its financial assistance was ever delivered to Hamas’s political leadership or its military wing. Since 2012, Qatar has hosted Hamas’s political office in Doha with the approval of the United States, a role that has drawn criticism from some quarters, despite Qatar’s repeated denials that it supports the group’s armed activities.

The Gulf state has played a central role as a mediator in ceasefire talks between Hamas and Israel, working alongside the United States and Egypt. Qatar’s mediation efforts were crucial in establishing a fragile truce that held for several weeks, allowing for exchanges of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. However, following the conclusion of the truce’s initial phase, the process has reached a deadlock, with both sides unable to agree on terms for extending the calm.

Qatar’s statement called on Israeli security services to prioritize the safe return of the remaining hostages and work toward long-term regional stability, instead of making what it described as baseless allegations designed to distract from Israel’s own failings. Qatar reiterated that accusations linking its aid to Hamas were completely unfounded and argued that such claims only serve to prolong the ongoing conflict.

The October 7 assault by Hamas led to the deaths of 1,218 people, the majority of them civilians. In response, Israel’s sustained military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of at least 48,405 people, with most of those killed also believed to be civilians, according to figures from both sides.