ISTANBUL

Kuwait on Friday voiced strong support for Qatar against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s threats, state media reported.

In a statement, Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry condemned Netanyahu’s remarks, in which he demanded that Qatar and other countries hosting Hamas leaders “expel them, or Israel will do it,” warning of potential attacks.

Netanyahu likened the Israeli assault on Doha to the US pursuit of al-Qaeda following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The ministry described the comments as “hostile statements and reckless threats” and said they constitute “desperate attempts to justify Israel’s brutal aggression while violating the sovereignty of other states.”

Kuwait emphasized its “firm and unwavering” support for Qatar, stating that it stands fully behind the Gulf nation “in all measures it takes to preserve its sovereignty, security, and stability.”

The ministry also called on the international community and the UN Security Council to “fulfill their legal and moral responsibilities to maintain international peace and security and to stop Israel’s violations and aggressions.”

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, rejected Netanyahu’s statements on Wednesday, saying the remarks were “reckless” and “an attempt to justify Israel’s cowardly attack” on Qatari territory.

It said the Hamas office in Doha is hosted as part of mediation efforts “requested by the United States and Israel.”

The threat followed an Israeli airstrike on a Hamas leadership site in Doha on Tuesday, which killed a Qatari security officer and several Hamas members.

Kuwait’s statement comes amid heightened regional tensions, as Israel continues its offensive on Gaza, which has killed more than 64,700 Palestinians since October 2023, displaced hundreds of thousands, and triggered famine, claiming at least 411 lives, including 142 children.