Netanyahu warns Qatar to expel Hamas, 'because if you don’t, we will'

Israeli PM attends the U.S. Independence Day reception in Jerusalem,13 August, 2025.
Reuters

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday (10 September) warned Qatar to either expel Hamas officials, which he described as "terrorists" or "bring them to justice. Because if you don't, we will."

Netanyahu accused Qatar of providing safe haven and financing to Hamas, drawing a sharp rebuke from Doha who hit back in a strongly worded statement early on Thursday (11 September), describing his remarks about the Gulf country's hosting of a Hamas office as 'reckless.'

In a statement, Qatar's foreign ministry condemned what it described as Netanyahu's "explicit threats of future violations of state sovereignty."

The heated exchange came more than a day after Israel attempted to kill Hamas political leaders in an air strike on Qatar on Tuesday (9 September), escalating its military campaign in the Middle East and prompting a flurry of international condemnations.  

Qatar, along with Egypt, has been mediating peace talks between Hamas and Israel. It warned that Israel's attack on Doha threatened to derail negotiations of a ceasefire in Gaza.

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