Shafaq News – Middle East
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday repeated that eliminating Hamas leaders would be essential to free the hostages and end the war in Gaza.
In a post on X, Netanyahu argued that Hamas leaders based in Qatar “do not care about the people of Gaza,” stressing that they had blocked every attempt at a ceasefire.
“Getting rid of them would rid the main obstacle to releasing all our hostages and ending the war,” he added.
His remarks followed an Israeli strike in Doha earlier this week that targeted a building used by Hamas representatives. While the group reported no casualties among its negotiating team, Qatari officials later confirmed six deaths, including a Qatari security officer.
Domestic criticism of Netanyahu is also rising. Opposition leader Yair Lapid, in a post on X, criticized the government for “destroying Israel’s international standing,” describing it as a “deadly mix of irresponsibility, amateurism and arrogance” that was eroding the country’s global position.
He further highlighted earlier condemnations from the UN Security Council and the United Arab Emirates, noting that the strike added strain to ties forged under the Abraham Accords, which normalized Israel’s relations with the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan in 2020.
Meanwhile, families of hostages in Gaza voiced alarm after the Doha strike, warning it endangered delicate negotiations. In a statement, they accused Netanyahu of undermining potential agreements and placing hostages at greater risk, emphasizing that political considerations had taken priority over their release.
“Someone who truly wants a deal to bring back the abductees does not bomb Hamas’s negotiating team while it is discussing that deal,” the statement added.
Conditions inside Gaza remain dire. Palestinian media, citing medical sources, reported 51 deaths since dawn on Saturday. Emergency services in Khan Younis said three more people were killed and 16 injured in a strike on the al-Amal neighborhood, bringing the overall toll since October 7, 2023, to 64,803 dead and 164,264 wounded.