On January 27th, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced and hounded Qatar to help the release of hostages in Gaza. The country has ties to Hamas, being a funder and host for the militant group. The pressure from Netanyahu came from a meeting between Israeli officials, the Qatari prime minister, the United States, and Egypt to discuss and strategize a deal to release the war hostages. Netanyahu has been under a massive amount of public pressure and raft to push for the freedom of the hostages taken during the October 7th attack.

In a recent televised news conference, Netanyahu claimed, “Qatar hosts the leaders of Hamas. It also funds Hamas. It has leverage over Hamas. So, they should be so good as to apply their pressure. They positioned themselves as mediators – so please go right ahead, let them be so good as to bring back our hostages.” This is for the effort of 123 hostages to return to the state of Israel. There has since been no official government response to Netanyahu’s comments, but the Foreign Ministry in Doha found his remarks “appalling” since a leaked video came out on Israeli television of Netanyahu withholding thanks to Qatar from the meeting between state officials and called the emirate “problematic”. Relations between Israel and Qatar are tense leaving both states dissatisfied.

The last Gaza war in 2014, that pegged the name Operation Protective Edge, spanned over 50 days between the militant group Hamas and Israeli forces. After the war, Israel allowed Qatar to aid millions of dollars to Palestinian reconstruction to avert possible further conflict. Doha said this was for cooperation and help at a distance from its ties to the group Hamas and more for the awareness of Israel’s close ally Washington. Qatar supports peace and giving aid to the Palestinians, a shared goal between Qatar and Israel could lead to a ceasefire in the region, as Qatar has relations with Hamas.

The focus of the situation should be on ending the war, ending the conflict, and returning hostages. Both states have suffered great losses. The pressure from Netanyahu and Israel is not lightening the situation or moving towards a common goal. Qatar could serve as a communication channel between Hamas and Israel in ending the war. There has since been a framework between Israel and Qatar to be presented to Hamas in hopes of negotiations, a proposal has been sent and is waiting for approval. The greater the regional war is the larger the fear at hand for all parties.