Israel's Mossad rejected plans to use ground agents to assassinate Hamas officials in Qatar, The Washington Post reported, citing officials.
Israel launched airstrikes on Qatar on Tuesday, claiming they targeted senior Hamas leaders.
The Mossad was reportedly absent from Israel's official statements. Two Israelis familiar with the matter said the intelligence agency had declined a recent plan to carry out an on-the-ground operation.
Mossad chief David Barnea opposed the move "partly because such an action could rupture the relationship he and his agency had cultivated with the Qataris," The Washington Post said. Qatar has hosted Hamas and mediated ceasefire talks, the sources said.
The Palestinian group said the airstrike failed to kill top officials, including acting leader Khalil al-Hayya, but killed several relatives and aides, as well as a Qatari officer.
Analysts suggest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may have lost patience with ceasefire negotiations.
Israel Defence Forces Chief Lt Gen Eyal Zamir also opposed the timing of the strike, while Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and Defence Minister Israel Katz supported Netanyahu. Nitzan Alon, a senior IDF officer in charge of hostage negotiations, was not invited to a planning meeting to avoid opposition.
The Mossad's concerns shaped both when and how the strike was carried out. "We can get them in one, two, or four years from now, and the Mossad knows how to do it," one Israeli said. "Why do it now?"
Qatar condemned the strike as "state terrorism" and a betrayal of the mediation process.
Israel has defended the strike as a response to a rare window when Hamas leaders were gathered in one location, and to a recent Hamas attack in Jerusalem that killed four soldiers in Gaza.
Netanyahu defended Israel's actions, drawing parallels to the US response to the September 11 attacks by the terrorist group Al Qaeda. "I say to Qatar and all nations that harbour terrorists, you either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don't, we will," he said.
He called Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel's "9/11 moment" and accused Doha of providing a safe haven to terrorists.
US President Donald Trump, who said he was "very unhappy about every aspect" of the operation.
