Netanyahu apologises to Qatar, promises no new strike, US says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Qatar's Prime Minister from the White House. Photo / Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling Qatar’s Prime Minister from the White House on Monday, apologised for strikes against Hamas in the Gulf country and promised not to do so again, the United States said.

Netanyahu, who had until now been defiant since ordering the strikes on September 9 in Qatar, placed the call as he was meeting US President Donald Trump about a ceasefire in Gaza.

“As a first step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman,” the White House said.

“He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.”

Israel did not immediately give an account of the call, although Netanyahu was expected later to hold a news conference with Trump.

The White House said that Netanyahu and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani also agreed to set up a three-way group to “enhance co-ordination, improve communication, resolve mutual grievances and strengthen collective efforts to prevent threats”.

Netanyahu had for weeks been defiant and derided Qatar, the home to the largest US air base in the region, for providing a base for Hamas.

The arrangement with Hamas was long done with the tacit agreement of Israel as it kept the militant group in a US-friendly country and not Iran.

But Netanyahu had said that calculations had changed since the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas. Israel has also struck Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen in recent months.

Trump, who has been wooed by Qatar – including with a gift of a luxury plane – had earlier said he was unhappy with Israel’s strike in Qatar.

The attack occurred just as Hamas leaders were discussing a US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

-Agence France-Presse