Qatar Condemns Israeli PM's Criticism of Mediation Efforts in Gaza War

The Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, conveyed the disapproval in a statement on Thursday, responding to leaked remarks where Netanyahu labeled the Persian Gulf state as "problematic."

"We are appalled by the alleged remarks attributed to the Israeli prime minister in various media reports about Qatar's mediation role," Ansari stated, emphasizing the detrimental impact of such comments on the mediation efforts in the besieged enclave.

"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," he added.

Ansari expressed hope that Netanyahu would "operate in good faith and concentrate" on the release of captives, rather than involving himself in concerns about Qatar's relations with the United States.

In a leaked recording from a meeting with families of captives aired on Israel's Channel 12 news, Netanyahu referred to Qatar as "problematic" and criticized its role. "You haven't seen me thank Qatar, have you noticed? Because Qatar, to me, is no different in essence from the UN, from the Red Cross and in a way it's even more problematic," Netanyahu said. However, he expressed a willingness to use any mediator facilitating the return of captives.

Netanyahu also accused Qatar of financing the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, expressing his discontent with the renewal of a deal extending US military presence at a base in the Persian Gulf state.

Qatar played a crucial role in mediating the conflict, contributing to the achievement of a week-long ceasefire in Gaza that concluded on December 1. This ceasefire allowed for the exchange of captives and prisoners between Palestinian resistance groups and the Israeli regime, while enabling the delivery of humanitarian aid to the coastal enclave.

The Gaza war, initiated by the Israeli regime on October 7 in response to the Palestinian resistance movement's Al-Aqsa Storm operation, witnessed Qatar's significant involvement in diplomatic efforts. Since the start of the aggression, more than 25,700 Palestinians, primarily women and children, have been killed by Israeli bombardment.