Netanyahu Qatar Hamas Strategy Backfires
- Benjamin Netanyahu took a major gamble in his campaign to subdue
- Netanyahu had hoped to kill Hamas' senior exiled leaders to advance his vision of "total victory" against the militant group that attacked Israel on Oct.
- Instead,Hamas claims its leaders survived,and Netanyahu's global standing,already damaged by the destruction and humanitarian disaster in Gaza,has suffered another blow.
Netanyahu’s Gamble Backfires as Qatar Strike Threatens Ceasefire Hopes
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Benjamin Netanyahu took a major gamble in his campaign to subdue Hamas with the attempted assassination of Hamas leaders in Qatar. With signs growing that the mission failed, that gamble appears to have backfired.
Netanyahu had hoped to kill Hamas’ senior exiled leaders to advance his vision of ”total victory” against the militant group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and pressure it into surrendering after nearly two years of war in the Gaza Strip.
Instead,Hamas claims its leaders survived,and Netanyahu’s global standing,already damaged by the destruction and humanitarian disaster in Gaza,has suffered another blow.
The airstrike on tuesday has enraged Qatar, a key U.S.ally and mediator throughout the war, and drawn criticism across the Arab world. It has also strained relations with the White House and jeopardized hopes of reaching a ceasefire,potentially endangering the 20 hostages still believed to be alive in the Gaza Strip.
Despite this setback, netanyahu shows no sign of backing down or halting the war, bolstered by his hard-line coalition and facing no immediate threat to his rule.
Netanyahu’s ’Image of Victory’
Five low-level Hamas members and a Qatari security guard were killed in the strike. Hamas asserts that the intended targets – senior exiled leaders meeting to discuss a new U.S. ceasefire proposal – all survived. However, the group has not provided photographic evidence, and Qatar has not commented on their condition.
According to Harel Chorev, an expert on Arab affairs at Tel Aviv University, a successful assassination could have allowed Netanyahu to declare hamas’ destruction.
“It’s all very symbolic and it’s definitely part of the thing which allows Netanyahu at a certain point to say, ‘We won, we killed them all,'” Chorev said.
Israel’s 23-month offensive in Gaza has eliminated all of Hamas’ top leadership within the territory. Netanyahu’s goal remains the eradication of the group as part of achieving “total victory.” This outcome is now looking increasingly unlikely, complicating efforts to secure a ceasefire with his hard-line coalition.
Far-right members of Israel’s governing coalition have cornered Netanyahu, threatening to topple his government unless Israel expands its operation in Gaza City, despite opposition from military leadership and widespread public and international concern.
A successful operation in Qatar could have appeased the hard-liners, even at the cost of eliminating the officials negotiating a potential ceasefire.
Burning the Channel with Qatar
Israel possessed the capability to target Hamas leaders in doha from the start of the war but refrained from antagonizing Qatar during negotiations, Chorev explained.
Qatar has facilitated two previous ceasefires, resulting in the release of 148 hostages (including eight bodies) in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners. israel’s military has rescued only eight hostages alive and recovered the bodies of 51.
While Israel has criticized Qatar for not exerting sufficient pressure on Hamas,it maintained the dialogue channel until Tuesday.
“Israel, by the attack, notified the whole world that it gave up on the negotiations,” Chorev said. “They’ve decided to burn the channel with Qatar.”
Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, stated that after the strike, “I don’t think there’s anything valid” in the current talks, though he stopped short of announcing an end to Qatar’s mediation efforts.
Netanyahu’s strategy for securing the release of the remaining hostages remains unclear.
On Thursday, Mohammed accused Israel of abandoning the hostages.
“Extremists that rule Israel today do not care about the hostages – otherwise, how do we justify the timing of this attack?” he told the United Nations Security Council.
Despite this, he indicated Qatar’s willingness to resume mediation without specifying next steps. On friday,Mohammed met in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, signaling the Trump administration’s attempt to balance relations between key Middle East allies.
Straining Ties with U.S.
Netanyahu, who has enjoyed strong support from the U.S. as President Trump returned to office, appears to have strained relations with his most vital ally.
President Trump said he was “very unhappy” about the airstrike and assured Qatar that such an attack would not happen again.
However, Trump has not announced any punitive action against Israel or indicated he will pressure Netanyahu to halt the war.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, remains undeterred and has threatened further action if Qatar continues to host Hamas leadership.
He stated on Thursday: “There is no place where we cannot reach you.”
Little Impact on the War in Gaza
Israel is proceeding with its expanded offensive aimed at conquering Gaza City, urging a full evacuation of the area holding around 1 million people ahead of an expected invasion.
“Netanyahu’s government is adamant to go on with the military operation in Gaza,” said Gayil Talshir, a political scientist at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Israel has dismissed calls to halt the war from the United Nations, the European Union, and a growing number of Western countries planning to recognize a Palestinian state at the U.N. Security Council later this month,she added.
Talshir believes only Trump could alter this course by telling Israel “enough is enough.”
Netanyahu’s Political Future Unthreatened
If Hamas’ leaders survived and negotiations collapse, Netanyahu will further alienate the roughly two-thirds of the Israeli public who desire an end to the war and a deal to bring home the hostages.
However, this opposition has existed for months with limited influence on Netanyahu.
“Netanyahu’s future in the near term doesn’t depend on the Israeli public,” said Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank.
His political survival hinges on his governing coalition, many of whom have expressed support for the assassination attempt.
This has sparked panic and increased suffering for the families of the hostages still held in Gaza.
Einav Zangauker, whose son, Matan, is among the captives, said last week she was “shaking with fear” after hearing about Israel’s attack in Doha.
“Why does the prime minister insist on blowing up every chance for a deal?” she asked, on the verge of tears. “Why?”
Lidman writes for the Associated Press.