Israel's Netanyahu Says Qatar Funds Hamas, Strike "Justified"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that a strike against Hamas officials in Qatar last week was "justified" by the Gulf state's ties to the group.

"Qatar is connected to Hamas, it harbours Hamas, it funds Hamas. It has strong levers (that it could pull), but it chose not to," he said during a press conference. "Therefore our action was entirely justified."

The unprecedented attack on the Hamas meeting in Doha was the first such Israeli strike on fellow US ally Qatar. 

The bombing resulted in the death of six people, none of whom were the top Hamas officials Israel was targeting, according to the militant group and Israeli sources quoted by national media.

The Gulf country has no diplomatic ties with Israel and has long hosted leaders of the Palestinian militant group, whose October 7, 2023 attack on Israel triggered the Gaza war.

It has also played a pivotal role in mediating between Israel and Hamas in negotiations for a ceasefire in the war and the release of the 251 Israeli hostages captured by Palestinian militants during that assault.

Between 2018 and 2023, Qatar sent millions of dollars in monthly cash handouts and aid to Hamas-run Gaza, with the approval of Netanyahu's cabinet at the time.

Earlier this year, Israeli media reported that two of Netanyahu's aides were being investigated by the Shin Bet internal security agency for allegedly receiving payments from Qatar. 

The scandal, dubbed "Qatargate", raised questions about the possibility of Qatari influence in the prime minister's Office.

Netanyahu, who was called to testify in the investigation in March, denounced it as a "political witch hunt".

Israeli media have linked the cabinet's dismissal of Shin Beth chief Ronen Bar and attempts to fire Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to their role in the investigation.

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