Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a rare apology to Qatar on Monday, acknowledging responsibility for a deadly missile strike earlier this month that hit the Qatari capital, Doha.
The concession came during a joint call with US President Donald Trump and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, according to a statement released by the White House.
The strike, which targeted Hamas officials in Doha on September 9, killed five Hamas members as well as a Qatari security guard.
The incident triggered sharp criticism from Qatar and its Gulf allies, complicating efforts to advance US-backed mediation in the war in Gaza.
Rare apology signals policy shift
Netanyahu, who has in recent weeks threatened additional strikes against Hamas figures based in Qatar, expressed “deep regret” for the incident and acknowledged that Israel had violated Qatari sovereignty.
He assured the Qatari prime minister that Israel would not carry out further attacks on Qatari soil.
“The prime minister further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future,” the White House said in its statement.
While neither Israel nor Qatar has made public comments, the White House described Sheikh Mohammed’s reaction as “welcoming.”
For Qatar, the apology was seen as a precondition to resuming its role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas.
Axios was the first to report details of Netanyahu’s apology, which comes as he visits Washington for discussions with Trump.
Diplomatic fallout in the Gulf
The Sept. 9 strike severely strained Israel’s relations with Qatar and drew condemnation from Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
The attack also raised questions about US security guarantees in the region, undermining American efforts to facilitate normalization between Israel and Arab governments.
Qatar, which hosts the largest US military base in the Middle East, has long been a critical diplomatic actor in negotiations involving Hamas, alongside Egypt.
Following the attack, Qatari officials had demanded a formal apology from Israel before re-engaging in talks.
The White House acknowledged that the strike had set back regional diplomacy, with Trump saying he learned of the Israeli operation too late to intervene.
The administration is now seeking to reset the relationship, with Monday’s call described as an effort to “put Israeli-Qatar relations on a positive track after years of mutual grievances and miscommunications.”
Ceasefire talks continue
Trump has continued to push for a ceasefire in Gaza, insisting over the weekend that negotiations were nearing a breakthrough.
US officials suggested that Israel’s pledge not to target Qatari territory could become part of a broader framework designed to restore Qatar’s mediating role.
While the apology may ease tensions in the short term, the strike highlighted the risks of escalation at a time when US and regional actors are struggling to contain the conflict.
For Netanyahu, the move represents a concession aimed at preserving critical diplomatic channels, even as domestic and regional pressures mount over the war in Gaza.
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