**Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Apologizes to Qatar Over Air Strike**
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued an official apology to Qatar following the killing of one of its citizens during an air strike on Doha. The strike targeted a Hamas delegation.
“As a first step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman,” a statement from the White House said. “He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.”
At least five low-ranking Hamas members were also killed in the 9 September strike, which was aimed at the senior Hamas leadership involved in negotiating a US-backed ceasefire. This marked the first attack by Israel on Qatar, a key mediator in ceasefire efforts.
The strike sparked global outrage, with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres calling it a “flagrant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump stated that he and Netanyahu have discussed “how to end the war in Gaza,” hailing the developments as a “historic day for peace.” Qatar’s Prime Minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief presented Trump’s proposal to Hamas negotiators. According to a source familiar with the case who spoke anonymously, Hamas is reviewing the proposal in good faith. Trump also mentioned that he had heard Hamas “wants to get this done too.”
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### Gaza Ceasefire Plan
The plan calls for the formation of a temporary governing board headed by Trump, which would include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. It proposes the withdrawal of Israeli troops, but only after Hamas disarms and an international security force is deployed.
Israel would maintain a “security perimeter presence,” a phrase that could imply keeping a buffer zone inside Gaza.
The plan does not require people to leave Gaza and calls for an immediate end to the war if both sides accept it. Furthermore, it mandates the release of all remaining hostages within 72 hours of Israel’s acceptance.
In exchange, Israel would free Palestinians serving life sentences in its prisons, as well as those detained from Gaza since the start of the war. Humanitarian aid would be allowed into Gaza by neutral international organizations, including the United Nations and the Red Crescent.
Whether the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Fund would continue its operations remains unclear. The proposal offers only a vague promise that Palestinian statehood might be possible.
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### Responses and Outlook
Trump emphasized that Israel would have the “full backing” of the United States to take steps to defeat Hamas if it does not accept the proposed peace deal.
“If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr. President, or if they supposedly accept it and then do everything to counter it, then Israel will finish the job by itself,” Netanyahu said after meeting with Trump at the White House. “This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way, but it will be done.”
“I think we are beyond very close,” Trump said at the start of a joint news conference with Netanyahu, where he detailed the deal.
When asked by reporters whether he was confident a deal to end the fighting between Israel and Hamas would be reached soon, Trump responded affirmatively: “I am. I’m very confident.”
Earlier on Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt urged both sides to finalize an agreement to end the nearly two-year-old war in Gaza.
“Ultimately the president knows when you get to a good deal, both sides are going to leave a little bit unhappy,” Leavitt told reporters. “But we need this conflict to end.”
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### Palestinian Response
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, said Palestinian officials are ready to work with Trump and Arab countries to bring an end to the war.
“Let us not delay a single minute more in doing what is necessary for this just peace to replace the unbearable reality of today,” Mansour said during a Security Council meeting on the Middle East.
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### Background of the Conflict
The conflict began when Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people, most of them civilians. Hamas took 251 people hostage, currently holding 48, of whom 20 are believed to still be alive.
A subsequent Israeli offensive has, to date, killed at least 66,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. These figures do not distinguish between fighters and civilians.
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