Israeli envoy to Washington vows new attacks against Hamas leaders

ANKARA

Israel’s ambassador to Washington, Yechiel Leiter, threatened new attacks against Hamas leaders after his country targeted Hamas leadership in the Qatari capital Doha.

“If we didn’t get them this time, we’ll get them the next time,” said Leiter on Fox News, responding to a question about whether Israel successfully targeted the Hamas leaders.

On the relationship with the US, Leiter said: “We’ve never had a better friend in the White House than President Trump, and we’re united in the effort of eliminating Hamas as being a threat to peace in the Middle East.”

US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that an Israeli strike on Qatar was decided by Netanyahu, not Washington.

“This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” Trump wrote on the US social media company Truth Social, which he owns.

“I immediately directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did. However, unfortunately, too late to stop the attack,” he added.

It came after Qatar's Foreign Ministry denied claims by the White House that the Gulf nation was informed in advance of Israel's attack, adding that communication from a US official came only as explosions were underway.

Trump said he spoke with Netanyahu after the strike, and the Israeli leader told him he wants to “make peace.”

He also said he called Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, assuring him that a similar incident would not be repeated on Qatari soil.

“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Trump wrote, reiterating an earlier statement from White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt during a news conference.

Trump said he directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalize a defense cooperation agreement with Qatar.

Israel's military confirmed that it conducted a "precise strike targeting the senior leadership" of the Palestinian group Hamas in the capital Doha.

Qatar strongly condemned the attack as a "blatant violation of international law" and a threat to its sovereignty and security.

The Gulf state, along with Egypt and the US, has been leading mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire agreement.

Israel has killed more than 64,600 Palestinians in a brutal offensive in Gaza following a cross-border attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, which is facing famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.