Qatar seeks 'Israeli' apology before resuming Gaza mediation, Axios reports

Qatar is reportedly demanding an apology from 'Israel' for its recent airstrike in Doha before it will resume its mediation on a Gaza peace deal, Axios reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.

The strike, which took place two weeks ago, killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, though all senior Hamas leaders survived. It marked the first 'Israeli' airstrike in a Gulf state and significantly heightened Israel’s regional isolation.

Qatar had stepped back from its role as mediator following the strike. According to Axios, the Trump administration believes that without Qatari mediation, efforts to secure the release of captives and end the war in Gaza will face major obstacles.

'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Qatar of harboring terrorists and suggested that Israel could strike again. An 'Israeli' official told Axios that the government misjudged the scale of the crisis caused by the attack, and Netanyahu recognizes the miscalculation.

The request for an apology reportedly comes directly from Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. Axios reports that he raised the matter with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a meeting in Doha, and it was also discussed between Rubio and Netanyahu, as well as US envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer.

Axios added that Qatar may accept an apology focused on the death of the Qatari security officer, including compensation for his family and a commitment not to violate Qatari sovereignty again. Israel has issued similar apologies in the past, including in 2013 when Netanyahu apologized to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan over the killing of activists in the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid.