Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a formal apology to Qatar for a recent airstrike that struck a residential area in Doha, killing a Qatari citizen, amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza.
The apology was delivered during a high-level phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, and Netanyahu, according to a statement released by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry on Monday.
The controversial Israeli strike, carried out on September 9, was reportedly aimed at a Hamas delegation meeting in Doha to discuss a ceasefire initiative backed by the United States. While several members of Hamas were killed in the attack, the group’s senior leadership survived. One Qatari national, Badr Al-Dosari, was among the casualties, sparking condemnation from Doha, which labelled the incident a “blatant violation” of its sovereignty.
Netanyahu, who was in Washington for a meeting with Trump at the White House, expressed “regret” over the incident and assured Qatari officials that future operations would not target Qatari territory. “Israel regrets that one of your citizens was killed in our strike,” Netanyahu was quoted as saying. “Our target was Hamas, not the people of Qatar.”
The Israeli leader also used the conversation to reiterate longstanding Israeli concerns about Qatar’s support for groups like the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as its role in broadcasting through Al Jazeera and its perceived influence on anti-Israel sentiment abroad.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed welcomed U.S. mediation but restated his country’s firm opposition to any breach of its territorial sovereignty. He reaffirmed Qatar’s ongoing commitment to facilitating diplomatic efforts to resolve the Gaza conflict.
The apology coincided with a joint announcement by Trump and Netanyahu, revealing a proposed framework to end hostilities between Israel and Hamas. Trump’s 20-point roadmap includes the immediate cessation of military operations and the formation of a temporary governance body to oversee postwar Gaza. The plan envisions a transitional authority chaired by Trump himself, alongside former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, and notably avoids any proposal for mass displacement of Gaza’s residents.
Qatar has served as a key interlocutor between Israel, Hamas, and international stakeholders throughout the conflict, balancing its diplomatic ties with both the West and various regional actors.
