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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received multiple warnings that Qatari financial aid to the Gaza Strip was being funneled to Hamas, according to a report by Israel’s N12 news channel on Tuesday.
The revelations, citing intelligence sources, suggest that the funds, initially intended for humanitarian purposes, were instead partially diverted to the militant group in the years preceding the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Allegations of Fund Diversion
According to the report, Netanyahu was alerted on at least two occasions that Qatari money was reaching Hamas instead of the intended beneficiaries.
The first warning allegedly came in mid-2019, less than a year after Qatar began sending funds to Gaza. Intelligence sources reportedly informed Netanyahu that Mohammed Deif, then head of Hamas’s military wing, was redirecting the Qatari money to the terror group.
Each installment at the time amounted to $10 million in cash, transported in suitcases.
A second warning reportedly followed in 2020, when Israel’s internal security service, the Shin Bet, cautioned that Deif was siphoning off approximately $4 million from each installment.
In response, discussions were reportedly held among Israeli security officials, with recommendations to simulate a crisis with Qatar to disrupt the cash flow. However, the payments continued after Qatari officials denied knowledge of Hamas’s access to the funds.
The N12 report further suggested that these payments persisted until November 2021, when Hamas shifted its financial strategy, opting to pay its officials through revenue generated from Egyptian fuel purchases funded by Qatar.
Netanyahu’s Office Denies Allegations
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) dismissed the claims, stating that Netanyahu was never presented with intelligence reports indicating that Qatari grants were being used to finance Hamas’s military activities.
“No intelligence document was ever placed on the prime minister’s desk stating that Qatari grant money was transferred to terrorism,” the PMO stated. “On the contrary, security bodies consistently determined that the Qatari grant money was transferred directly to fuel, needy families, and public servants’ salaries.”
The statement also acknowledged that Israeli authorities became aware in March 2020 that Hamas was diverting $4 million to its military wing, but it insisted that this money originated from Hamas’s civil budget rather than the Qatari grants.
Political and Security Implications
The report has sparked controversy within Israeli political circles, as Netanyahu’s government faces mounting scrutiny over intelligence and policy decisions leading up to Hamas’s October 7 assault, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and over 240 taken hostage.
Critics argue that allowing Qatari cash into Gaza—even with Israel’s knowledge—enabled Hamas to bolster its military capabilities.
Former IDF Chief of Staff and current MK Gadi Eisenkot echoed the N12 report’s findings, telling The Jerusalem Post earlier this week that the Qatari funds contributed to Hamas’s operational expansion. Eisenkot, now a member of Israel’s War Cabinet, previously criticized Israel’s policy of allowing cash transfers to Gaza.
As the Israeli government continues its military campaign in Gaza, questions remain over past financial dealings with Qatar, a country that has played a dual role as both a mediator between Hamas and Israel and a primary donor to Gaza’s humanitarian efforts.