Qatar on Wednesday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks on expelling Hamas members, calling them a “shameful attempt… to justify the cowardly attack that targeted Qatari territory, as well as the explicit threats of future violations of state sovereignty”.
“Netanyahu is fully aware that the hosting of the Hamas office took place within the framework of Qatar’s mediation efforts requested by the United States and Israel,” Qatar’s foreign ministry said.
“He is also fully aware of the office’s role in facilitating numerous exchanges and ceasefires, which have been widely acknowledged and appreciated by the international community and have brought relief to Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages in desperate need of basic humanitarian relief from the ruthlessness that has ensued since October 7th,” it added, referring to the war on Gaza that erupted after the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel in October 2023. The war has now been deemed a genocide by scholars, historians and human rights groups, with over 64,000 dead.
“Such statements are hardly surprising coming from an individual who relies on extremist rhetoric to win elections and is wanted for international justice, facing mounting sanctions on a daily basis—factors that only deepen his isolation on the global stage.”
Netanyahu earlier warned Qatar to either expel Hamas officials or “bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will.”
