Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Sep 11: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has justified Israel’s recent airstrikes in Doha targeting Hamas leadership, comparing them to the United States’ hunt for Al Qaeda after the 9/11 attacks.

In a video statement, Netanyahu said Hamas’ October 7 assault was “Israel’s 9/11 moment,” warning Qatar and other nations to expel or prosecute Hamas leaders. “Because if you don’t, we will,” he declared, adding that countries condemning Israel “should be ashamed,” just as no one condemned the U.S. for killing Osama Bin Laden.

The surprise Israeli strike on Hamas’ political headquarters in Qatar killed a Qatari security officer and five others but missed top Hamas figures. Doha, which has hosted Hamas offices as part of U.S.-backed mediation efforts, denounced the attack as a “flagrant violation of sovereignty” and rejected Netanyahu’s “explicit threats of future violations.”

Qatar’s foreign ministry said Israel’s action risked derailing truce talks, stressing that its hosting of Hamas was conducted “in an official and transparent manner” with U.S. and Israeli knowledge. It vowed to work with international partners to hold Netanyahu “accountable for reckless and irresponsible actions.”