Qatar denies funding Hamas after Israeli report claims Netanyahu ignored warnings over Gaza aid

Qatar's International Media Office has firmly denied allegations that the country provided funding for Hamas through humanitarian aid to Gaza. The denial came after an Israeli report claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been warned in 2019 that Qatari funds were being used to support Hamas's military branch.

The report, published by Israeli media outlet Yedioth Ahronoth, included quotes from prominent Israeli politicians, such as Together Party leader Naftali Bennett and Yesh Atid Party leader Gadi Eisenkot, who criticized Netanyahu's handling of the situation.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office dismissed the allegations as a collection of "recycled lies" and accused the report of being an attempt to sabotage Netanyahu's re-election campaign ahead of the October 27 elections. The office also stated that the previous government was responsible for the Qatari funding of Hamas. When Operation Guardian of the Walls was launched, Prime Minister Netanyahu immediately instructed to stop the Qatari grant, which had been restored by the Bennett-Lapid government.

The Qatari International Media Office emphasized that Qatar has never provided money to Hamas and had only provided assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza in coordination with Israeli authorities and international collaborators. The statement also claimed that the Yedioth Ahronoth report was politically motivated and intended to divert attention from domestic issues in the lead-up to elections. Qatar has no interest in engaging in Israel's domestic politics, according to the statement.