Qatar’s prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, admitted on Sunday that his country contracted with an American communications firm to "counter a public relations campaign against us in Israel."
Speaking at a press conference alongside Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Al-Thani said: "What is being called 'Qatargate' is politically motivated media propaganda with no basis in truth. Marginal politicians in Israel are making accusations against Qatar while ignoring its role in the release of hostages."
Regarding the possibility of a hostage deal in Gaza, Al-Thani expressed concern about a potential collapse of the ceasefire. "We have emphasized the need to mobilize efforts to ensure that all parties return to implementing the remaining stages of the agreement. Intimidation and attacks against us will not deter us from working to achieve security and peace in our region," he said.
Despite political pressure and obstacles, he said, Qatar is continuing its efforts with Egypt to restore the ceasefire. "We cannot accept the starvation of Palestinians or the use of humanitarian aid as a weapon of war. We will continue working with our partners to end the war and will not be deterred by attempts to distort our efforts," Al-Thani said.
He also accused a government — apparently referring to Israel — of spreading misinformation while it should focus on serving its people and securing the release of hostages. "It has been proven that the accusations against Qatar are false. We have never been a party to antisemitism," he added.
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Over the weekend, Al-Thani met with Mossad Director David Barnea for the first time since Barnea was moved aside from directly managing the hostage negotiations. Al-Thani noted that "progress has been made in the talks" and that discussions are ongoing over the Hamas response to a proposed ceasefire deal. "The negotiations have not been suspended. Our efforts with Egypt to end the war continue. Hamas has repeatedly and publicly affirmed its willingness to return all the hostages," he said.
The Qatargate affair involves allegations that an American firm, The Third Circle — owned by Jay Footlik and engaged in promoting Qatar’s interests in several countries, including Israel — approached Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s adviser Yonatan Urich to advocate for Qatar in the context of the hostage deal. The firm also allegedly sought to distribute negative messaging about Egypt, positioning Doha more favorably as a mediator.
During the investigation into the affair, Urich and Netanyahu’s former security spokesperson Eli Feldstein were arrested and questioned. Last week, their house arrest was extended by two weeks.