Qatar slams Netanyahu over Gaza ceasefire remarks

Qatar has issued a firm condemnation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent comments suggesting that it must "stop playing both sides" and decide whether it "stands with civilization or with Hamas barbarism".

The remarks, which were made Saturday by Netanyahu’s office, came amid escalating tensions over ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.

"The time has come for Qatar to stop playing both sides with its double talk and decide if it’s on the side of civilisation or if it’s on the side of Hamas barbarism," Netanyahu, who is wanted by the ICC for war crimes, wrote on X, adding, "Israel will win this just war with just means."

Qatar’s response, delivered in an official statement by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari, described the Israeli leader’s language as "incendiary" and "lacking the minimum standards of political and moral responsibility". 

"Portraying the continuation of aggression on Gaza as a defense of ‘civilization’ brings to mind the rhetoric of regimes throughout history that used false slogans to justify their crimes against innocent civilians," Al-Ansari stated. 

"Meanwhile, the Palestinian people in Gaza are enduring one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of the modern era—from a suffocating siege and systematic starvation, to denial of medicine and shelter, and the use of humanitarian aid as a weapon of political pressure and blackmail," he continued.

"Is this the ‘civilization’ that is being marketed?," the Qatari spokesman asked. 

"Qatar's foreign policy, which is founded on principles, does not contradict its role as a neutral and trustworthy mediator," Al-Ansari said.

"Disinformation campaigns and political pressure will not deter it from standing with oppressed peoples, defending the rights of civilians—regardless of their background—and upholding international law without fragmentation or selectivity."

He further stated, "The State of Qatar continues its close cooperation with both Egypt and the US to reach an immediate ceasefire, ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, and push toward a just and lasting peace based on the values of justice and humanity—not on violence and double standards."

Qatar repeated its stance that "true peace can only be achieved through a just and comprehensive settlement based on international legitimacy, ending the occupation, and guaranteeing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people—foremost among them the establishment of their independent state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital".

Netanyahu’s remarks came just days ahead of US President Donald Trump’s upcoming visit to the region, scheduled for May 13 to 16, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE—his first Middle East tour since beginning his second term in January.

The Israeli prime minister’s comments also coincide with renewed mediation efforts led by Qatar, Egypt, and the US to secure a ceasefire and a captive exchange between Hamas and Israel.

Netanyahu, under pressure from his far-right supporters who he needs to keep his governing coalition in power, has been increasingly vocal in his calls to continue the war on Gaza at all costs.

 Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza in 2023, Qatar has played a central mediating role, brokering two temporary truces—one in November 2023 and another in January 2025—that enabled the exchange of prisoners and the entry of humanitarian aid.

A previous ceasefire deal, which began in  January 2025, successfully resulted in a prisoner exchange during its first phase.

Hamas upheld its obligations, but Netanyahu refused to implement the second phase. Instead, he resumed full military operations against Gaza in  March.