Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned countries accused of sheltering Hamas leaders to either expel or prosecute them, saying Israel would act if they failed to do so.
“You either expel them or bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will,” Netanyahu said Wednesday in Jerusalem.
His remarks followed Tuesday’s Israeli airstrike on a residential compound in Doha that killed the son of senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, his office manager, three aides, and a member of Qatar’s internal security forces. Hamas said members of its negotiating team survived the attack.
Defending the strike, Netanyahu accused Qatar of financing Hamas and providing its leaders with luxury homes, likening the operation to the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden. He argued that Israel’s actions targeted those behind the October 7 attack and should be applauded, not condemned.
Qatar denounced the strike as a breach of its sovereignty and announced the formation of a legal team, led by the minister of state for foreign affairs, to pursue action against Israel.
The attack has drawn widespread criticism across the region, with the UAE, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Syria all condemning Israel. The White House also expressed disapproval, saying the strike “does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” while U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “very unhappy” with Israel’s actions.
