Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu Apologizes to Qatar

International Desk | PNN

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally apologized to Qatar over the unprecedented Israeli airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha this month, which resulted in the death of a Qatari citizen.

On Monday, during a meeting in Washington attended by U.S. President Donald Trump, Netanyahu conveyed his apology via a joint phone call to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

The September 9 strike killed at least five Hamas members and one Qatari security official. Although the top Hamas leadership survived, the incident sparked global condemnation as a blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty.

A White House statement noted that Netanyahu expressed “deep regret” over the death of Qatari citizen Badr Al-Dosari and assured that no future military operations would be conducted on Qatari territory.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the attack as a “serious violation” of Qatar’s regional integrity and sovereignty. Following the strike, representatives from nearly 60 Muslim-majority countries gathered in Doha to show solidarity with Qatar.

The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the U.S.-mediated call was part of addressing the consequences of the attack. Qatar made it clear that they would not continue any peace mediation without a public apology and assurance that such incidents would not recur.

Professor Sultan Barakat of Hamad Bin Khalifa University called the apology “significant,” noting that it is crucial not only for Hamas-Israel negotiations but also for preserving the broader environment for international diplomatic mediation.