Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn a firm “red line” over any involvement by Turkey and Qatar in the post-war governance of Gaza, rejecting their proposed roles in the U.S.-backed peace plan and rejecting what he perceives as a direct threat to Israel’s security and sovereignty.
According to Israeli media, Netanyahu and senior officials believe that any presence of Turkey or Qatar in Gaza—even under the guise of humanitarian or reconstruction efforts—could morph into political influence for Hamas or hostile actors, undermining Israel’s goal of completely dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure and securing long-term control over Gaza’s northern border and coastal access.
U.S. diplomats, however, see Turkey and Qatar as key mediators who helped shape the 20-point peace plan introduced by Donald Trump and accepted by Israel on September 29 2025. That proposal envisages a phased Israeli withdrawal, full hostage release, and reconstruction of Gaza under oversight, with Turkey and Qatar among the states invited to provide “humanitarian-civilian” assistance.
Netanyahu, in his public messages, has made it clear that while Israel welcomes assistance from “neutral international bodies,” it will not tolerate any arrangement that allows Turkey or Qatar—which maintain back-channels with Hamas—to wield influence inside Gaza. He regards participation by those states as incompatible with his vision of a secure, demilitarised buffer between Gaza and Israel.
Both Turkey and Qatar reject Netanyahu’s positioning. Doha’s Foreign Ministry said the Israeli premier’s remarks were “inflammatory” and retaliated by reaffirming Qatar’s long-standing role in humanitarian mediation and hostage negotiations involving Hamas. Turkey, meanwhile, has publicly opposed Netanyahu’s presence at regional summits and insisted that its participation in Gaza mediation is legitimate and transparent.
As negotiations proceed, the dispute over the mediator roles of Turkey and Qatar poses a potential stumbling block to the implementation of the peace plan. U.S. officials are reportedly urging Israel to allow a constrained civilian role for the two states in reconstruction and aid, fearing Israel’s hard-line stance may slow the truce process.
