Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has described Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “war criminal,” saying those responsible for the devastation in Gaza must be held accountable.

Speaking in an interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan, Sheikh Mohammed was asked whether he considered Netanyahu a war criminal. “Of course,” he replied, arguing that the destruction and civilian suffering in Gaza could not be justified.

He specifically pointed to attacks affecting hospitals and schools, saying such facilities should not be targeted regardless of the justification offered.

The Qatari leader also criticized Israel’s September 2025 strike on Doha, which targeted Hamas officials while Qatar was engaged in mediation efforts. The attack killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer.

“We were attacked by Israel while we were mediating,” Sheikh Mohammed said, describing the strike as an unprecedented attack on a country attempting to facilitate negotiations.

He also accused Netanyahu of using attacks on Qatar to divert attention from his government’s actions, without providing further evidence for the claim.

Despite the deterioration in relations between Qatar and Israel, Sheikh Mohammed said Doha would continue its diplomatic efforts to help de-escalate the wider regional conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

He said Qatar was continuing to communicate with both Washington and Tehran and believed that discreet diplomatic engagement remained essential to finding a political settlement.

Sheikh Mohammed identified three issues that he said needed to be addressed to prevent further escalation: Iran’s nuclear program and related sanctions, freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, and regional security arrangements between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

He said a new regional security framework should be based on dialogue, non-interference and non-aggression, alongside stronger economic cooperation among regional states.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said earlier Tuesday that Doha was continuing to relay messages between the United States and Iran.

Al-Ansari said Qatar remained concerned about further military escalation and was working to promote a peaceful resolution.

Qatar has for years played a prominent mediation role in regional conflicts, including negotiations involving Israel and Hamas over the Gaza war. Doha’s mediation efforts have continued despite growing tensions with Israel and the September 2025 strike on Qatari territory.

Sheikh Mohammed’s latest comments underline Qatar’s continued opposition to the conduct of Israel’s war in Gaza while signaling that Doha intends to maintain its diplomatic role in efforts to prevent the regional conflict from widening. (ILKHA)