Qatar demands Israeli apology over Doha strike, urges return to mediation

The Trump administration has acknowledged that reaching a new deal will be difficult without Qatar’s participation.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Qatar demands that Israel issue an apology for the attempted strike against Hamas leaders in Doha earlier this month and a return to negotiations over a new ceasefire–hostage agreement, two sources familiar with the matter told N12 on Saturday.

Qatar has been the central mediator between Israel, Hamas, and the United States since the October 7, 2023 assault, when 251 people were abducted in Hamas’s cross-border rampage.

Through Qatari involvement, several agreements have been reached, resulting in the release of hostages, rescue operations, and the recovery of remains. Despite these efforts, 48 Israelis remain in captivity nearly two years later.

The Trump administration has acknowledged that reaching a new deal will be difficult without Qatar’s participation.

However, frustration in Doha has grown since the strike in the Qatari capital, carried out with U.S. knowledge, which targeted Hamas leaders after months of stalled talks.

According to the sources, Hamas had demanded international guarantees for a permanent end to the war in exchange for releasing hostages — terms that Israel rejected as unacceptable because they would allow the terror group to remain armed and in control of Gaza.

The breakdown of those talks was followed by the Israeli strike, which triggered Doha’s demand for an apology.

One source said Qatar is “waiting for an apology” and may be flexible on its wording, recognizing the political challenges such a concession would pose for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s allies.

At the same time, the source noted that it is unclear whether an Israeli apology would affect Doha’s consideration of legal action at the International Court of Justice over the strike.