Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has defended his country’s unprecedented military strike on Doha, the capital of Qatar, which targeted the leadership of Hamas. In a video message released on Wednesday, he argued that the action was no different from the United States’ pursuit of Al Qaeda following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Netanyahu issued a stern warning to Qatar and other countries accused of harbouring Hamas leaders, urging them to either expel or hand over the group’s officials. “Because if you don’t, we will,” he declared, insisting that Israel would not hesitate to act against those providing safe havens for its enemies. He described the October 7 Hamas assault on Israel as “our 9/11 moment,” stressing that Doha had provided refuge to Hamas’ political bureau.
He further drew parallels with America’s military campaigns, saying: “We did exactly what America did when it went after Al Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan, and when they killed Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. Now the various countries of the world condemn Israel – they should be ashamed of themselves. What did they do after America took out Osama Bin Laden? Did they say, ‘Oh, what a terrible thing was done to Pakistan’? No, they applauded. They should applaud Israel for standing for these same principles.”
The surprise operation, carried out on Tuesday, targeted what Israel described as Hamas’ political headquarters in Doha. The strike killed a Qatari security officer and five others but failed to eliminate the intended high-ranking Hamas officials. The attack sparked global outrage, with Qatar accusing Israel of a blatant violation of its sovereignty. U.S. President Donald Trump also expressed displeasure, stating he was “very unhappy about every aspect” of the Israeli action.
Qatar’s foreign ministry responded sharply on Thursday, condemning Netanyahu’s remarks as both “reckless” and “desperate.” The ministry clarified that Hamas’ presence in Doha was part of mediation efforts carried out at the request of the United States and Israel. These negotiations, it said, were conducted transparently and with international backing, often in the presence of both U.S. and Israeli delegations.
“Netanyahu’s insinuation that Qatar secretly harboured the Hamas delegation is a desperate attempt to justify a crime condemned by the entire world,” the ministry asserted. It further warned that Israel’s actions risked derailing ongoing ceasefire and hostage negotiations. “We will work with our partners to ensure Netanyahu is held accountable and that his reckless and irresponsible actions are brought to an end,” the statement concluded.
