Ammon News - The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Qatar rejects Israel's claims that it supports and empowers Hamas. Qatar Ambassador to U.S. Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani claims in an article published on Monday in the Wall Street Journal that "The Hamas political office in Qatar was opened in 2012 after a request from Washington to establish indirect lines of communication with Hamas."

According to Haaretz, the ambassador clarified that all funds transferred from Qatar to the Gaza strip throughout the years were delivered "in full coordination with Israel, the U.S. and United Nations agencies such as the World Food Program and the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process."

Al Thani said that it is "deeply unsettling that false narratives about Qatar have emerged in the media with the apparent intention of escalating the conflict. These narratives create obstacles for constructive mediation efforts and aim to derail negotiations."

Since the fighting between Israel and Hamas began, Israeli officials have attacked Qatar and the support it grants for the organization. According to them, the tens of millions of dollars that Qatar transferred to the Gaza strip's residents have helped, indirectly, to empower Hamas who could direct its efforts to building its military capabilities. In addition, Israel claims that the information spread by Qatar in recent days about a possible hostage deal to release Israelis held by Hamas is false and is intended as a tool in Hamas' propaganda against the Israeli public.

Al Thani also wrote about the negotiations for release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. "The release of several hostages over the past week shows that Qatar’s policy of engaging with all sides can yield positive results. Avoiding the further loss of civilian lives and securing the release of hostages should be the priority for all. Open channels of communication can lead to lasting peace. Qatar will continue to pursue such engagement, supported by the U.S. and other partners around the world."

Haaretz