Qatar hits back at Netanyahu over pressure on Hamas to release captives

Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari has criticised the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for suggesting that Doha was standing in the way of the release of Israeli captives in Gaza. 

On Sunday Netanyahu suggested that Qatar was not doing enough to pressure Hamas to release the captives. 

Ansari said the comments were “nothing but an attempt to stall and prolong the war” in Gaza.

“The Israeli Prime Minister knows very well that Qatar has been committed from day one to mediation efforts, ending the crisis and freeing the hostages,” Ansari said in a post on X.

“We affirm that Qatar will continue its mediation efforts and will not be deterred by rhetoric and statements that can only be understood in the context of escaping from the Israeli Prime Minister’s personal political challenges.”