Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Netanyahu Apologizes to Qatar for Strike


(MENAFN) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has conveyed an apology to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani regarding a recent airstrike on Doha that he had approved earlier in the month, according to the White House.

The expression of remorse took place during a three-way phone discussion involving US President Donald Trump, who hosted Netanyahu at the White House for the occasion.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman," the White House noted in a rare official summary of the call.

The statement further elaborated that Netanyahu "expressed regret" over Israel’s breach of Qatari territorial rights while attempting to hit Hamas leaders amid ongoing negotiations over hostages. He also assured that "Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future."

According to the official communication, Al Thani "welcomed these assurances, emphasizing Qatar’s readiness to continue contributing meaningfully to regional security and stability. Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed commitment to the same."

The incident at the heart of the apology took place on September 9, when Israel launched a targeted operation in Doha aimed at eliminating top figures from the Palestinian group Hamas. While Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya survived the strike, the group's chief of staff, Jihad Lebed, along with his son Hammam al-Hayya and three associates, were killed in the assault.

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