Qatar has demanded that Israel apologize for the strike on Hamas leaders in Doha and return to the mediation table to negotiate a new ceasefire-hostage deal with Hamas, two sources familiar with the demands told N12 on Saturday.
Doha, an ally of both Hamas and the United States, has been the main mediator between the Gaza-based terror group and Jerusalem. Previous agreements, hostage rescue missions, and the identification of hostage remains in Gaza have left 48 Israelis captive in Gaza out of the initial 251 abducted on October 7, 2023.
The Trump administration acknowledged that a new hostage deal would be challenging to achieve without intervention from Doha. However, Qatar has expressed its deep frustrations at the Jewish state following a strike in its capital earlier this month. Israel struck Hamas leaders after months of stalled talks.
Hamas sought international guarantees for a complete end to the war, allowing the terror group to stay armed and in power in Gaza, in exchange for the release of the hostages.
The source said Qatar would show flexibility on the wording of the apology, reportedly acknowledging that such a move would be unpopular among Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s allies.
It is unclear if an apology would impact Doha’s decision to take Israel to the world court for the strike.
Qatar's Emir heads to UN General Assembly
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has left for New York to participate in an upcoming meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, Qatar's Amiri Diwan said on Sunday.
World leaders are gathering in New York as the war between Israel and Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip approaches two years. A humanitarian crisis is worsening in the Palestinian enclave, where a global hunger monitor has warned that famine has taken hold and is likely to spread by the end of the month.
Reuters contributed to this article.