The Qatar-Gaza Controversial Deal: Unveiling Years of Financial Support with Israeli Support
Qatar's controversial aid to Gaza, under scrutiny by Israeli officials and American politicians, sparked a backlash Despite criticism, the payments, supported by Israel, have been a longstanding arrangement Discover the timeline, reasons behind Israeli backing, and the repercussions faced by both Qatar and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu
Ever since the October 7th attack by Hamas on Israel, the Gulf state of Qatar has faced criticism from Israeli officials, American politicians, and media outlets for providing hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Gaza, which is under the control of the Palestinian militant group.
However, it is important to note that all of this aid was provided with the approval of Israel.
On Friday, October 13, 2023, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani were seen in a meeting in Lusail, Qatar. The event was captured by Jacquelyn Martin/Pool via REUTERS.
Jacquelyn Martin/Reuters
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CNN in collaboration with the Israeli investigative journalism organization Shomrim conducted interviews with key Israeli players, who revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued to provide funding to Hamas, despite objections from within his own government. Qatar has also pledged to continue their financial support to Gaza, with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi stating that their government will continue to make payments to the enclave, as they have been doing for years.
"We will not alter our mission. Our mission is to consistently support and aid our fellow Palestinians. We will carry on with our efforts just as we have in the past," stated Al-Khulaifi.
In response, Israeli sources highlighted that past governments had helped transfer funds to Gaza for humanitarian purposes, and that Netanyahu had taken strong action against Hamas following the October 7 attacks.
Heres what we know about those payments and Israels role in facilitating them.
When did the Qatari payments start?
In 2018, Qatar initiated monthly cash payments to the Gaza Strip, delivering some $15 million in cash-filled suitcases through Israeli territory after lengthy negotiations with Israel. This came after the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, a rival of Hamas, slashed salaries for government employees in Gaza in 2017, according to an Israeli government source familiar with the situation.
A team of firefighters battles a blaze in an open field, responding to a large-scale infiltration by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip, near a hospital in Ashkelon, southern Israel on October 7, 2023. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
Amir Cohen/Reuters
What did Israel know about Hamas October 7 attack?
The PA was against the Qatari funding, which Hamas claimed was intended for public salary payments and medical purposes. The deal was approved by Israel during a security cabinet meeting in August 2018, when Netanyahu was in his previous term as prime minister.
Despite criticism from his coalition partners, Netanyahu defended the deal, stating that it was made in coordination with security experts to restore peace to Israeli villages in the south and prevent a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Ahmad Majdalani, an Executive Committee member at the Palestine Liberation Organization in the West Bank, accused the United States of orchestrating the payment.
Why did Israel back the payments?
Reports from both Israeli and international media have indicated that Netanyahu's intention to permit aid to reach Gaza via Qatar was with the goal of potentially leveraging Hamas as a rival to the PA and thwarting the formation of a Palestinian state. At the time, officials from the PA expressed concerns that these monetary transfers were exacerbating division between Palestinian factions.
Major General Amos Gilad, a former senior Israeli Defense Ministry official, informed CNN that the prime minister supported the plan, but it did not have the backing of the Israeli intelligence community. He also mentioned concerns that the plan could "weaken Palestinian sovereignty." Additionally, he noted a misconception that providing financial assistance to Hamas would lead to their compliance.
Major General Amos Gilad, a former senior Israeli Defense Ministry official, speaks to CNN in Tel Aviv on December 5.
Alex Platt/CNN
Shlomo Brom, a former deputy to Israel's national security adviser, informed the New York Times that Netanyahu was able to avoid negotiations over a Palestinian state with the help of an empowered Hamas. He stated that the division among the Palestinians allowed Netanyahu to argue that there was no partner for peace, thereby sidestepping pressure for peace talks that could lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett also told CNN on Sunday that he ceased the suitcase cash transfers when he assumed office in 2021, after years of voicing his concerns to the Netanyahu government while serving as minister of education.
Bennett expressed his disbelief in allowing Hamas to receive suitcases full of cash, stating that it directly enables them to reorganize and pose a threat to Israelis. He questioned the decision to provide funds that could be used against their own people. Despite the halt in cash payments, the transfer of funds to Gaza persisted during Bennett's leadership, as reported by the New York Times.
According to a CNN report, an Israeli official denied any suggestion that Netanyahu wanted to keep a "moderately weakened" Hamas in power, calling it "utterly false." The official stated that Netanyahu had taken action to significantly weaken Hamas, citing three military operations that had resulted in the deaths of thousands of terrorists and senior Hamas commanders. Additionally, the official claimed that Israeli governments, both preceding and following Netanyahu's tenure, had allowed money to go to Gaza not to strengthen Hamas, but to prevent a humanitarian crisis by supporting critical infrastructure including water and sewage systems. This was done to prevent the spread of disease and to enable daily life for the people in Gaza.
Has Netanyahu faced a backlash?
Netanyahu has come under increasing criticism as the depth of his governments involvement in the move, as well as the motivations for it, come to light again.
The funding agreement is one of the factors leading to many Israelis holding Netanyahu accountable for the October 7 Hamas terror attack. According to CNN, numerous individuals believe that the payments to Hamas contributed to the group's increasing strength and intensified the severity of the attacks. In an opinion piece in the Times of Israel on October 8, Tal Schneider wrote, "The prime minister's approach of prioritizing the terror group over Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and the establishment of a Palestinian state has resulted in wounds that will take Israel years to recover from."
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett poses for a photograph during an interview with CNN, in Tel Aviv on November 10.
Former Israeli defense official Gilad was one of the voices opposing the allowance of money to reach Hamas, referring to the permitted cash flow over the years as a "dramatic, tragic mistake,"
The funds could be used to take care of the population, enhance military capabilities, and build up their strength," Gilad said last week. Criticism of Netanyahu among Israelis surged after the attack, with many faulting the prime minister for not preventing it.
What backlash has Qatar faced?
Qatar has strong connections with both Hamas and Western countries, such as the United States. It has faced severe backlash for permitting the Iran-supported organization to set up a political headquarters in Doha, which has been active since 2012.
Qatar has been accused by some Israeli officials of supporting Hamas and playing a role in the attack that led to the kidnapping of hostages on October 7. Nevertheless, Qatar has previously been helpful to Israel, notably in the release of these hostages.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen accused Qatar in October of funding Hamas and providing shelter to its leaders. During a high-level UN meeting, Cohen stated, "Qatar, which provides financial support and sanctuary to Hamas leaders, has the ability to exert influence and facilitate the release of all hostages held by the terrorists, immediately and unconditionally. It is imperative that the international community demands Qatar to take action in this regard."
Yahya Sinwar attends a parade in Gaza City on May 30, 2021.
Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Who is Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader Israel has called a dead man walking
Qatar has dismissed allegations from Israeli officials, cautioning that these incendiary remarks could compromise mediation efforts and pose a threat to lives. Gilad also accused Qatar, claiming that the Gulf state provided Hamas with 1 billion shekels annually ($30 million per month) and that they used it to strengthen their control over Gaza. "For Hamas, it was a lifeline. It was vital," he told CNN.
Qatar refutes the claim that the funds were earmarked for Hamas and asserts that they were intended to provide aid for the payment of salaries to workers in the besieged enclave. Additionally, the Gulf nation, home to a significant US airbase, has faced congressional pressure. A bipartisan group of 113 US lawmakers penned a letter to President Joe Biden on October 16 urging him to exert pressure on countries that support Hamas, including Qatar.
Al-Khulaifi, the Qatari minister leading his country's mediation in the Israel-Hamas war, stated that Qatar will persist in working with regional and international partners to ensure that funds reach the most vulnerable and vital infrastructure.
Contributions to this report were made by CNN's Adam Pourahmadi, Tamar Michaelis, Pallabi Munsi, and Ivana Kottasova.
