TEL AVIV: Families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of leaking a tape in which he criticized Qatar’s role in the swap talks with the Palestinian group.
All negotiations that take place in meetings with Netanyahu are recorded by his office and his associates present at the meeting, Haim Rubinstein, a spokesperson for the hostages’ families, said in a statement on Thursday.
Rubinstein said that the families participating in the meeting had their phones taken at the entrance.
He termed the leaking of Netanyahu’s comments as a serious issue that indicates a loss of control.
Leaked comments from the prime minister’s meeting with relatives of the hostages showed him criticizing Qatar’s role in the prisoner swap talks with Hamas.
Netanyahu said in a recording aired by an Israeli media outlet that Qatar, from my point of view, is no different in essence than the UN and the Red Cross. Qatar is even more problematic.
“I have no illusions about them. They have leverage over Hamas because Qatar funds them,” Netanyahu added.
Netanyahu said he got very angry recently with the US for renewing an agreement to extend American military presence at a base in Qatar for another ten years.
The leaked comments drew criticism from Qatar, which accused Netanyahu of sabotaging the negotiations for hostage release with Hamas for political interests.
Hamas is believed to be holding about 136 Israelis following its cross-border attack on 7 October.
The Palestinian group demands an end to Israel’s deadly offensive on Gaza for any agreement on a prisoner swap with Israel.
The Israeli government has rejected demands for halting its brutal war on Gaza until destroying Hamas and releasing hostages.
Israeli atrocities
Israel has launched a deadly offensive on Gaza since 7 October, martyring at least 25,700 Palestinians and wounding 63,740 others, while about 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.
