Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff felt ‘betrayed’ by Israel’s airstrike on Qatar during Gaza ceasefire talks
The Israeli airstrike on Qatar, which occurred shortly before the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, reportedly left U.S. officials such as Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff feeling ‘betrayed.’ This sentiment has emerged as a significant challenge to the already delicate peace process. Witkoff, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, revealed that the attack took place just before the negotiations, which were led by Trump’s ‘dealmaking consortium.’ The strike, which targeted senior Hamas officials attending the talks, killed six people, including a Qatari security officer, and raised concerns over the potential long-term impact on the region’s stability.
Qatar, a long-standing ally of the U.S. and key mediator in the ceasefire process, accused Israel of ‘state terrorism’ after the strike. The attack reportedly took place without prior knowledge of the U.S. administration, leading to a lack of immediate intervention. Kushner, who was part of the Trump administration’s team, stated that Trump expressed concern over Israel’s escalation, believing that the country was ‘getting a little bit out of control with its actions.’ These remarks were made in an interview with CBS, highlighting the growing tensions between the U.S. and Israeli leadership.
The strike, which was ordered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was met with strong condemnation from the Qatari government, which was seen as a crucial player in the ceasefire negotiations. Netanyahu later apologized to Qatar, expressing ‘deep regret’ over the unintended deaths of civilians. Despite the attack, the ceasefire agreement signed in Sharm el-Sheikh by Trump and mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey called for Israel to withdraw from parts of Gaza and release 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, representing a landmark agreement aimed at stabilizing the region.