Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani reaffirmed on Tuesday that mediation is central to Qatari identity and vowed that no attack would deter the country’s role. His remarks came hours after Israel targeted Hamas leaders in Doha, an escalation that threatens ongoing negotiations over the Gaza war.
Doha, along with Cairo and Washington, has been a critical mediator between Israel and Hamas throughout the conflict. Al-Thani stressed that Qatar has “spared no efforts” to end the war but admitted the current talks face serious setbacks following Israel’s latest strike.
He directly accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of “state terrorism,” saying the attack deliberately sabotaged peace efforts. Netanyahu defended the strike as “entirely justified,” citing a deadly attack in Jerusalem and the deaths of four Israeli soldiers in Gaza.
According to al-Thani, U.S. officials informed Qatar of the Israeli strike only ten minutes after it began. He condemned the move as “100% treacherous” and warned that Qatar “reserves the right to respond.” The Gulf state has already assembled a legal team to prepare its response to what it calls a blatant violation.
The incident underscores growing tensions in the region as Qatar faces pressure to maintain its role as a mediator while also protecting its sovereignty. Al-Thani insisted that despite the challenges, Qatar will continue working to halt the violence in Gaza and pursue peace, though he acknowledged that Israel’s actions have severely undermined the process.
By reaffirming its mediation stance, Qatar signals both resilience and determination to remain a key diplomatic player in Middle East peace talks, even as trust between the parties erodes.