Netanyahu lobbied Trump to reject Qatar’s Gaza deal – report

Following reports Qatar torpedoed compromise deal for Gaza ceasefire, Israeli media claims Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Trump against listening to Qatari premier’s proposals on behalf of Hamas.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu implored US President Donald Trump not to take seriously any proposals on a new Gaza ceasefire deal and hostage agreement put forward by the prime minister of Qatar, during the Qatari leader’s visit to Washington last week, an Israeli media report claimed on Sunday.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the 44-year-old sheikh who serves both as Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited the White House last week, meeting with both Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

Trump is expected to meet with Al Thani when he visits Qatar next month. Last week, the White House announced the president will travel to the Middle East from May 13 through 16, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12 TV network, Netanyahu spoke with Trump last week by phone, warning him that Al Thani would likely present to him or his administration “various and strange proposals” on behalf of the Hamas for a new ceasefire deal in Gaza and agreement for the release of the remaining 59 hostages.

“Hamas is pretending and does not intend to truly stand behind any proposal that includes the return of all the hostages,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying. “We must destroy Hamas. We cannot accept a situation where it remains near our border as a threatening force.”

“This will not happen. This is an invitation for the next October 7. It is unacceptable even to the Israeli public.”

The call in question is said to be the same call after which Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that he and the Israeli leader are “on the same side of every issue.”

Sunday’s report came hours after two other Israeli media outlets, Israel Hayom and Yedioth Ahronoth, published reports accusing Qatari mediators of intentionally torpedoing a compromise deal pushed by Egypt, urging Hamas to hold out for more favorable terms.

The Egyptian proposal would have effectively extended the framework of the January 19 agreement, with weekly hostage releases in exchange for the freeing of jailed Arab terrorists, a ceasefire, and a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Later on Sunday, an unnamed Arab official who spoke with The Times of Israel outlet denied the reports accusing Qatar of encouraging Hamas to reject the Egyptian offer, claiming the reports were “manufactured” by Israeli officials to shield Netanyahu from criticism over the failure to reach an agreement.