Israel strike on Hamas leaders in Doha draws rare rebuke from Trump

US President Donald Trump made a rare public break with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the leader’s decision to launch a unilateral attack against Hamas in Qatar “does not advance Israel or America’s goals”.

The strike on the militant group’s leadership in Doha, the capital of a US ally, dramatically escalated regional tensions and risked derailing US-backed efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza.

“This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” Trump said in a social media post on Tuesday.

Trump said he had spoken to both Netanyahu and Qatari leaders following the attack and that he believed the “unfortunate incident could serve as as opportunity for PEACE”. He also said Netanyahu had assured him “that he wants to make Peace”.

Still, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt earlier on Tuesday declined to say if Trump would impose consequences on Netanyahu for the operation even though it went against the president’s wishes.

Trump said he had assured the leaders of Qatar that such an incident would not happen again on their soil and that he viewed their country “as a strong Ally and friend of the US, and feel very badly about the location of the attack”.