Israeli officials have been encouraging Qatar for years to continue financial support for Gaza, which is under Hamas control.
Documents from senior Israeli security officials reveal that Israel facilitated a program that funneled nearly $2 billion into Gaza, as reported by TIME. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently campaigning for the national elections on October 27, appears to be distancing himself from these financial transfers, especially after receiving an endorsement from former President Donald Trump on Sunday.
Letters obtained by TIME reveal Israel played a bigger role in the payments than Netanyahu has acknowledged.https://t.co/M1oyRf1mFl
— TIME (@TIME) October 18, 2026
The former Mossad Director Yossi Cohen expressed appreciation to Qatar’s emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in a letter from 2020 for the humanitarian aid provided to Gaza over the past few years. He acknowledged that this aid was vital for improving conditions in Gaza and ensuring regional stability.
In the same year, R. L. Maoz, a member of Netanyahu’s National Security Council, urged Qatari representatives to maintain their financial support, even while the Israeli government publicly criticized such actions. He emphasized the necessity of ongoing Qatari humanitarian financial assistance, stating that the established mechanism should be kept in place.
Responses from both the Israeli Embassy in the U.S. and Qatar’s International Media Office were not immediately available.
In September 2023, prior to the attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, then-Mossad Director David Barnea met with Qatari officials. Reports indicate that when asked about the continuation of financial support, Barnea confirmed Israel’s desire for the payments to persist.
While Netanyahu’s office did not comment on a TIME request, he mentioned in 2024 that the payments were meant to prevent Gaza from failing entirely. He noted that the rationale behind successive governments’ decisions to support Gaza’s civilian administration was to avert a humanitarian collapse.
A spokesperson from Qatar’s International Media Office stated that all aid from Qatar to Gaza went through Israel. The spokesperson said that if any funds reached Hamas, it was Israel’s responsibility, as they managed the delivery and established the mechanism.
Furthermore, Qatar, along with other Arab nations, is collaborating with Trump administration representatives like Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to devise a plan aimed at restoring essential services in Gaza and reducing dependence on militant groups.
