Qatari Prime Minister accuses Netanyahu of sabotaging Gaza peace efforts for his own political gain

What Happened

In a CNN interview with Christiane Amanpour on Saturday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right government of sabotaging the Gaza peace agreement. Al-Thani claimed Israel has not fulfilled commitments under the October 2025 Sharm el-Sheikh agreement mediated by Egypt between Israeli and Hamas representatives; he said Israel now occupies more than 70% of the Gaza Strip instead of withdrawing, continues killing despite the ceasefire, and allows an average of 150 humanitarian trucks per day rather than the required 600. He also rejected Israeli allegations that Qatari funds reached Hamas's military wing, stating that no Qatari money entered Gaza without full coordination and consent of the United Nations and the Israeli government, and that funds went only to Israel-approved categories including gas purchases, poverty-stricken families, and Gaza government employees vetted by Shin Bet or Mossad. Al-Thani further claimed Israel repeatedly delayed long-term solutions citing election cycles until September 2023, one month before the October 7 attack, and called the Qatargate scandal absurd, saying former prime minister Naftali Bennett's government had requested and praised Qatar's role.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

Qatar is a central mediator and financial channel in Gaza diplomacy; a direct public accusation by its prime minister against Netanyahu signals deepening mediator frustration and could undermine Doha's ability to facilitate further ceasefire or hostage negotiations. The allegation that Israel occupies more than 70% of the strip and allows only 150 of a required 600 aid trucks daily, if confirmed, would mark a major collapse of the Sharm el-Sheikh terms and increase pressure for international enforcement.

Watch For

Watch for a formal Israeli government response to Al-Thani's claims, including any denial or counter-allegations on aid volumes and territorial control; UN OCHA or other monitors' verification of daily humanitarian truck averages against the 600-truck requirement; Egyptian or US statements on implementation of the October 2025 Sharm el-Sheikh agreement; and any Qatari decision to reduce or withdraw from mediation following the Qatargate scandal or Israeli proposals to designate Qatar an enemy state.