DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Qatar’s prime minister has stepped up criticism of Israel over Israeli attacks, targeting Hamas leaders in his country, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has “killed hope” to release hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip.
Comments from Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullan al-Thani before appearing at the United Nations on Thursday highlighted wider outrage among the Gulf Arab countries. Israel’s strikekilled at least six people.
“I was meeting one of the hostage family members on the morning of the attack,” Sheikh Mohammed told CNN in an interview that aired late Wednesday. “They rely on this (ceasefire) mediation. They have no other hopes for that.”
Sheikh Mohammed added:
Qatar and Egypt were key mediators trying to reach a ceasefire in the war in Gaza. Qatar has hosted Hamas political leadership for many years in Doha over the US demand to encourage negotiations between extremist groups and Israel.
Since Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, the government has not immediately admitted any remarks from Netanyahu, who has been engaged in war across the region. However, he continued to defend the strike, threatening further action against Qatar the day after President Donald Trump tried to ease tensions among his US allies.
“I either expel Qatar and all the countries that have terrorists, either you’re going to banish them or you’ll put them on trial,” Netanyahu said. “If you don’t, you’ll do that.”
Sheikh Mohammed was scheduled to attend the UN Security Council later on Thursday, part of Qatar’s diplomatic push after the strike.
The strike against the territory of US allies has elicited widespread criticism from countries in the Middle East and beyond. I also marked it Dramatic Regional Escalation They put emergency consultations at risk, aimed at ending the war and freeing the hostages that Hamas of Gaza still held.
Hamas said in a statement Tuesday that its top leader survived the strike, but five lower members have been killed, including the leader of Hamas in Gaza and the son of its top negotiator, three bodyguards and head of Al Haya’s office, while five lower members have been killed. Hamas, who once confirmed the assassination of the leader several months later, offered no immediate evidence that Al Hayyah or other seniors had survived.
The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants raided southern Israel in 2023, slaying 251 people and killing 1,200, mostly civilians. The 48 hostages are still being held within Gaza, and it is believed that around 20 of them are alive.
Israeli retaliatory attacks have killed more than 64,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health. The ministry does not say how many civilians or combatants are, but it says women and children account for half of the deaths.
___
UN Associated Press Writer Fanaus Amiri contributed to the report.
