Qatar is calling for an official apology from Israel following last month’s strike in Doha, before it will resume its critical role in mediating a Gaza peace deal.
According to sources familiar with the situation, the Qatari leadership has stepped back as mediator since the Israeli attack, which killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, though all senior Hamas leaders survived. The strike marked the first time Israel carried out an air operation in one of the Gulf states, and significantly heightened Israel’s regional isolation.
The Trump administration has expressed concern that without Qatari mediation, reaching a deal to release hostages and bring an end to the ongoing war will be extremely difficult.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Qatar of harboring terrorists and has warned that future strikes could be possible, making any apology politically sensitive. However, sources say the Qataris understand the complexities of Israel’s domestic politics and are open to flexible language in the mea culpa.
Behind the scenes, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in Doha on Tuesday, where the matter of Israel’s apology was raised. The request was also discussed during meetings involving Netanyahu, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer. Further talks are scheduled in New York this Saturday between Witkoff and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani to de-escalate tensions and pave the way for resumed Gaza negotiations.
Sources indicate that Qatar may accept an Israeli apology focused specifically on the death of the Qatari security officer, combined with assurances that Israel will compensate his family and respect Qatari sovereignty going forward. Israel has precedent for this type of diplomatic apology: in 2013, Netanyahu formally apologized to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid that killed Turkish activists.
The coming days will be crucial in determining whether Israel and Qatar can overcome this diplomatic rupture and restore the mediation process aimed at ending the crisis in Gaza.
Reporting by Carl Montel.
