Qatar 'appalled' by Israeli PM's criticisms of its mediation efforts with Hamas

Qatar on Wednesday said it was "appalled" by leaked remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he criticized the country's mediation efforts with Hamas, complicating already arduous negotiations meant to halt the hostilities in exchange for a hostage release.

In a meeting with families of hostages held by Hamas, Netanyahu said Qatar's role in the mediation was "problematic."

Qatar, a key mediator that also has deep ties to the militant group and hosts some of its exiled leaders, said Netanyahu's remarks were "irresponsible and destructive."

The public exchange came as sensitive talks were underway in an effort to advance a potential agreement that might offer some respite in the devastating three-and-a-half-month-old war. The fighting has killed more than 25,000 Palestinians, according to Palestinian health officials, displaced some 85 per cent of the territory's 2.3 million people and triggered a humanitarian catastrophe.

As the diplomacy continued, fierce fighting still raged, especially in southern Gaza, where the United Nations said an Israeli tank strike on a UN facility killed at least nine people and wounded dozens. Israel denied its forces were responsible and suggested Hamas may have launched the shelling.

Netanyahu has vowed to press ahead with the offensive until "complete victory" against Hamas.

Some 1,200 people were killed during Hamas's Oct. 7 assault on Israel, while about 250 others were kidnapped, according to the Israeli government. 

Israel says it is fighting in self-defence, but it faces charges that it is committing genocide at the UN world court at The Hague, which announced that it would issue a decision Friday on South Africa's request for an interim order telling Israel to halt the hostilities.

Qatar has been a critical link in negotiating efforts between Israel and Hamas.

In Netanyahu's leaked remarks, which were broadcast Tuesday on Israeli Channel 12 television, he also told the families that he has intentionally not thanked Qatar for its mediation efforts, claiming it could put more pressure on the Islamic militant group.

"Qatar, in my opinion, is no different, in essence, from the UN. It is no different, in essence, from the Red Cross, and in some ways it is even more problematic," he said. Israel views those organizations with suspicion, seeing them as biased against it.

Netanyahu also said in the leaked audio that he had expressed anger at the U.S. for renewing a military base in the Gulf state. He said he told the Americans to put pressure on Qatar to put pressure on Hamas.

Qatar helped secure a week-long truce in November in which more than 100 hostages were released.

It's also involved in efforts to broker a new deal to bring home the roughly 130 hostages that remain in captivity.