Report Alleges Qatari Aid Reached Hamas Military Wing
Report Alleges Qatari Aid Reached Hamas Military Wing
Anonymous
Key Points
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Netanyahu’s office said that, when Operation Guardian of the Walls began, he ordered the Qatari grant halted immediately, while the subsequent Bennett-Lapid government restored the arrangement.
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Qatar said that under the previous aid system, financial assistance and goods such as food, medicine and fuel passed through Israel before entering Gaza; delivery was handled by U.N. organizations in coordination with Israeli authorities, rather than directly by Qatar.
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The Prime Minister’s Office alleged that the Yedioth Ahronoth report was intended to damage Netanyahu’s re-election campaign ahead of Israel’s October 27 elections, while Qatar likewise said the allegations were intensifying as the election approached.
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Qatar said its assistance had received public support from Israeli leaders and had continued for years under successive Israeli governments with the involvement of Israel’s security agencies.
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Qatar also accused a broader network of pro-Israel media outlets, lobbyists, lawyers, think tanks and research organizations of sustaining a campaign against it, beyond the political figures cited in the report.
An Israeli investigation claims Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was warned repeatedly between 2019 and 2020 that Qatari aid entering Gaza was being diverted to Hamas's military wing, Yedioth Ahronoth, according to InShorts. The report alleges that Egyptian and Israeli intelligence flagged the diversion, which may have provided up to half of Hamas's military budget. Netanyahu's office rejected the claims as recycled misinformation ahead of Israel's October elections, while Qatar denied funding Hamas and accused Israeli media of a political attack.
Netanyahu Denies Acting on Intelligence Warnings
Israeli intelligence and Egyptian officials warned Netanyahu in 2019 and 2020 that some Qatari humanitarian aid was reaching Hamas's military wing, FirstPost reported. Opposition politicians say Netanyahu ignored these warnings before the October 7, 2023 attack. Netanyahu's office claims the aid was legitimate humanitarian assistance and that Israel's security establishment backed the arrangement with Qatar.
Netanyahu said he halted Qatari grants when Operation Guardian of the Walls began. The Bennett-Lapid government that followed later restored the arrangement. Netanyahu's team alleged the Yedioth Ahronoth report was designed to damage his re-election campaign ahead of October 27 elections.
Qatar Rejects Hamas Funding Claims in Full
Qatar's government denied providing any funding to Hamas, according to Yahoo News. Qatar said its aid consisted only of food, medicine, fuel and electricity for Palestinian civilians. The aid was delivered through the United Nations and other transparent channels that Israel coordinated and approved, Qatar stated.
Qatar said any funds reaching Hamas outside official channels were unrelated to its assistance program. The country accused Israeli media outlets, lobbyists, think tanks and political figures of promoting allegations for political gain, Jerusalem Post reported. Qatar said it would continue humanitarian aid and mediation efforts regardless of the accusations.
Contradicting Claims Over Aid Oversight and Transparency
The dispute centers on how Qatar's assistance was channeled into Gaza. Qatar said financial aid and goods passed through Israel before entering Gaza. United Nations organizations handled delivery in coordination with Israeli authorities, Qatar claimed. Netanyahu's office countered that intelligence warned the aid was diverted to Hamas's military operations.
Qatar noted its humanitarian assistance had received public support from Israeli leaders for years under successive Israeli governments. Both sides tied the dispute to Israel's October elections. Qatar accused pro-Israel groups of timing allegations to damage political rivals. The competing claims remain unresolved, with no independent verification of the core allegations provided.
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