Qatar PM: Netanyahu killed any hope of hostage release with Doha strikes

Qatars prime minister said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu killed any hope of releasing hostages still held in the Gaza Strip after Israel attacked Hamas leaders in DohaThe comments from Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani ahead of appearing at the United Nations on Thursday underscored the wider anger among Gulf Arab countries over Israels strike that killed at least six peopleI was meeting one of the hostages families the morning of the attack Sheikh Mohammed told CNN in an interview aired late Wednesday They are counting on this ceasefire mediation they have no other hope for thatSheikh Mohammed added I think that what Netanyahu has done yesterday he just killed any hope for those hostagesHis remarks came as thousands of Palestinians sought to flee Gaza City ahead of Israels impending offensive there The numbers leaving the city have grown in recent days though many have refused because they say they no longer have the strength or money to relocateThe Israeli militarys plans for the next phases of its operation in what it calls Hamas last remaining stronghold is aimed taking over the largest Palestinian city thats already devastated from earlier raids and experiencing famineThe plans have drawn widespread condemnation and add to Israels already unprecedented global isolation which intensified further this week following the strike on QatarThe attack on the territory of a US ally alarmed countries in the Mideast and beyond It also marked a dramatic escalation in the region and risked upending talks aimed at ending the war and freeing hostages still held by Hamas in GazaSheikh Mohammed was expected to attend a UN Security Council meeting later Thursday part of a diplomatic push by Qatar after the strike and Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was set to visit Doha to underscore Pakistans support for Qatars security and sovereigntyHamas said Tuesday that its top leaders survived the strike but that five lowerlevel members were killed including the son of Khalil alHayya Hamas leader for Gaza and its top negotiator as well as three bodyguards and the head of alHayyas officeHamas which has sometimes only confirmed the assassination of its leaders months later offered no immediate proof that alHayya and other senior figures had survivedQatar and Egypt have been key mediators to try and reach a ceasefire in the war in Gaza Qatar has hosted Hamas political leadership for years in Doha in part over a request by the US to encourage negotiations between the militant group and IsraelThere was no immediate reaction to Sheikh Mohammeds remarks from Netanyahu whose government has engaged in wars across the region since Hamas October 7 2023 assault on IsraelHowever Netanyahu has continued to defend the strikes and threatened further action against Qatar a day after US President Donald Trump had sought to ease tensions between the US allies including by assuring the Gulf nation that there would be no more such strikes on its soilI say to Qatar and all nations who harbor terrorists you either expel them or you bring them to justice Netanyahu said Because if you dont we willDisplaced Palestinians forced to live on the streetsAn estimated 1 million Palestinians around half of Gazas overall population live in the area of north Gaza around Gaza City according to the Israeli military and the United Nations On Wednesday dozens of vehicles motorbikes and donkey carts loaded with belongings lined the citys coastal road as they tried to leaveAmal Sobh displaced from Beit Lahia with 30 relatives including 13 orphans said the threewheel vehicle carrying their belongings broke down and they had no fuel leaving the family strandedAfter one of her boys came down with a fever the only food or medicine they were able to get was bread that a passerby gave to themI have 13 orphans The one who is in my lap his temperature is high like fire she told The Associated Press I dont have money to buy medicine for himUmm Mohamed alBoghdady said her family lost their tents and belongings in an Israeli strikeThe tents are gone and nothing is left of it not even clothes and belongings We only left with a basil plantMeanwhile in Muwasi an area at the southern end of the strip where Israel has encouraged people to move displaced Palestinians from northern Gaza struggled to find shelter due to overcrowding and lack of adequate resources Many have been forced to live on the streetsAtwah Awad said aid has not reached her or her familyI swear to God that I do not have a shekel to buy food she said I slept in the street tonight Who would accept that I sleep in the street No water no food no bathroomsThe war in Gaza began when Hamasled militants stormed into southern Israel in 2023 abducting 251 people and killing some 1200 mostly civilians Fortyeight hostages are still held inside Gaza around 20 of them believed to be aliveIsraels retaliatory offensive has killed more than 64600 Palestinians according to Gazas Health Ministry The ministry does not say how many were civilians or combatants but says women and children make up around half the deadThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever