The Gulf state slammed back at the Israeli security investigation that alleged its funding drove the Hamas October 7, 2023 attacks.
Qatar’s International Media Office (IMO) has strongly rejected accusations from Israeli security agency Shin Bet, which alleged that the Gulf state’s funding of Hamas played a role in the October 7, 2023 attacks, also known as the Al Aqsa Flood Operation.
On Tuesday, the Shin Bet released its probe into its failure of foiling Hamas’ operation and infiltration into Israel.
The Palestinian resistance group targeted settlements bordering the Gaza Strip, taking 251 Israelis captive.
The Israeli security agency also pointed fingers at “the flow of Qatari funds and their transfer to [Hamas’] military wing and its force build-up” as a key factor in the operation.
It also said the success of Operation Al Aqsa Flood “was to a large degree due to the strategic buttress provided by Iran and the use of the funds that came in from Iran and Qatar”.
Agency chief Ronen Bar acknowledged that had the Shin Bet acted differently, the killings “would have been avoided”.
“As the head of the organisation, I will carry this heavy burden on my shoulders for the rest of my life,” he said.
Shin Bet also said it had “failed in its mission” to prevent the attack “by ignoring repeated warning signs”.
Qatar slammed back at the agency, saying the “false accusations” were “yet another example of deflection driven by self-interest and self-preservation in Israeli politics”.
In a statement, Doha affirmed its support for the the Palestinian people, and pointed to the humanitarian aid it has provided to families in Gaza over many years.
“Qatari aid has included essential supplies such as food and medicine, as well as the provision of electricity to power homes,” the statement by the IMO said.
Qatar also underscored that aid sent from the Gulf state to Gaza was “transferred with the full knowledge, support, and supervision of the current and previous Israeli administrations and their security agencies – including the Shin Bet”.
“No aid has ever been delivered to Hamas’s political or military wing,” the IMO said. “At this critical juncture, the Shin Bet and other Israeli security agencies should focus on saving the remaining hostages and finding a solution that ensures long-term regional security, rather than resorting to diversionary tactics such as scapegoating Qatar for political longevity”.
The Gulf state also accused Israel of intending to prolong the war through such false claims.
‘Efforts to demonise Qatar’
Qatar has long been the target of ruthless disinformation campaign after it became a key mediator between Hamas and Israel following the beginning of the genocide in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.
The campaign, mainly driven by Israeli and Western officials, criticised Qatar for hosting the Hamas political office despite its crucial role in mediating the release of Israeli captives.
The Gulf state has hosted the Hamas office since 2012 at the Untied States’ request.
According to Dr. Mohamad Hamas Elmasry, an analyst and media professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, the probe was a purely political move, and part of “Israel’s broader effort to demonise Qatar”.
“Israeli think tanks, government apparatuses and media outlets have a long history of disseminating false, anti-Qatar propaganda,” he told Doha News.
He pointed to Shin Bet condemning Qatar for providing “cash to families” in need.
“There is nothing illegal or unethical about providing humanitarian aid to Gaza’s needy families, particularly given the illegal blockade that Israel has been enforcing on the Strip since 2007,” Elmasry added, referred to Israel’s siege on the enclave.
