Voice of Urdu – International News in English & Urdu

Netanyahu Boasts About Bombing Qatar Ahead of Israeli Election — AI-generated representative image. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu at a press event where he discussed Qatar and Gaza aid funding.

Editorial Team

Prime minister defends Gaza aid transfers and calls Doha hostile days before the October 27 vote

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly boasted about bombing Qatar, describing the Gulf state as "hostile," while rejecting domestic allegations that funds transferred to Gaza were used for anything other than humanitarian aid. The remarks were made in an interview with Israel's i24NEWS that he shared on social media on Saturday.

The comments come days before the first anniversary of Israel's September 9, 2025, strike on Doha, which killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer. They also arrive weeks before Israelis vote on October 27 in the country's first general election since the war on Gaza began in 2023, with Netanyahu facing mounting domestic pressure over the conflict, the economy, and the war with Iran.

Key Remarks and Reactions

"I attacked Qatar, I also bombed it and attacked them during the war, and they attacked me," Netanyahu said in the interview, asserting that Qatar did not dictate Israeli policy during the war on Gaza.

Netanyahu also defended the transfer of millions of dollars in Qatari funds to Gaza that Israel had facilitated, saying the money was intended for humanitarian purposes and had been moved on the recommendation of Israeli security agencies Mossad and Shin Bet. "All this money is worth 2 percent of all the money that entered the Strip," he said.

Background of the Doha Strike

Israel's September 9, 2025, strike on Doha targeted a meeting held to discuss a United States-backed Gaza ceasefire proposal. Qatar has hosted Hamas's political office since 2012, following what it says were requests from the United States, and has long served as a mediator in Middle East conflicts.

Doha condemned the strike as a "blatant violation of all international laws and norms," with Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majed al-Ansari calling it a "cowardly" assault. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the strikes as a "flagrant violation" of Qatar's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Several countries, including Iran and Pakistan, condemned the attack, and leaders from Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia visited Qatar shortly afterwards in a show of solidarity. Later that month, Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump called Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at the White House to apologise for the strike.

Disputed Claims Over Gaza Funding

Some of Netanyahu's detractors have alleged that the Qatari funds were used to help Hamas prepare its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which precipitated the war on Gaza. Qatar denies such allegations, saying any claims that it funds Hamas are unfounded and citing the strict oversight governing its aid transfers.

"Today, when they are claiming that this is the financing of Qatar to Hamas, it has no basis," Sheikh Mohammed said during last year's Doha Forum. "All our aid went to Gaza, went to the people, and was under a very transparent process that the United States is fully aware about."

Election Context and Next Steps

Netanyahu's remarks come as he faces mounting pressure at home over his government's handling of the Gaza war, the economy and the war with Iran, all of which are shaping up as central issues in the October 27 campaign. Analysts and critics say Netanyahu has repeatedly stoked tensions with other states ahead of elections to rally nationalist support.

Sara Netanyahu Abuse Lawsuit Filed by Former Household Worker

Ex-residence employee seeks $150,000 in damages over alleged humiliation and labor violations at the Israeli PM's Jerusalem home.

news

Israel Accused of Seizing UN Property in East Jerusalem

Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab calls the UNRWA facility takeover highway robbery amid a growing dispute over the agency in occupied East Jerusalem.