Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally apologised to Qatar after an unprecedented Israeli airstrike in Doha killed a Qatari serviceman and several Hamas members earlier this month, an incident that triggered global outrage and raised new diplomatic tensions in the Gulf.
The September 9 strike targeted senior Hamas leaders who were in Qatar for U.S.-backed ceasefire talks. Instead, the missiles struck a residential neighbourhood housing members of the Hamas negotiating team. At least five Hamas operatives were killed alongside Qatari security officer Badr Al-Dosari, while Hamas’s top leadership narrowly escaped.
The attack was the first known Israeli strike on Qatari territory, a stunning breach given Doha’s central role as mediator in ceasefire efforts and its status as host of Al Udeid Air Base — the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. For Qatar, the assault was not only a violation of sovereignty but a direct challenge to its position as an intermediary in regional diplomacy.
On Monday, Netanyahu expressed contrition during a joint call with U.S. President Donald Trump and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani at the White House. A White House statement said the Israeli leader conveyed his “deep regret” over the civilian death, acknowledged the breach of Qatari sovereignty, and pledged that Israel would not carry out such strikes again.
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Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the conversation, describing it as part of Washington’s push to contain the fallout from what it labelled “Israeli aggression.” The ministry said the Qatari Prime Minister thanked the U.S. for offering guarantees to prevent future incidents and reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Qatar defense partnership.
“For his part, the Israeli Prime Minister apologised … for the attack and the violation of Qatari sovereignty, which resulted in the martyrdom of Qatari citizen Badr Al-Dosari,” the ministry noted.
Diplomatic observers said the apology marked a “significant step,” but cautioned that the strike may complicate Qatar’s delicate role in ceasefire negotiations. Israel’s first-ever attack on Doha may have closed one chapter with an apology — but it has also opened another, casting doubt on the stability of mediation channels in a volatile region.
Africa Digital News, New York
