Mossad was planning to conduct a ground operation against Hamas leaders in Qatar but canceled the plans.

On September 9, 2025, Israel announced a strike on senior Hamas leaders located in Qatar. However, official statements did not mention one of Israel’s key intelligence agencies — Mossad. Information from sources indicates that Israel’s foreign intelligence refused to carry out the plan to eliminate these leaders, which had been discussed in recent weeks.

Opposition of Mossad

David Barnea, the director of Mossad, opposed the operation as it could negatively affect relations with Qatari authorities. Qatar plays a mediating role in ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel, adding complexity to the situation.

Mossad’s warnings were heard, and their opinion influenced the execution of the strike. Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s agreement, there were many doubts within Israeli security structures regarding the timing of the operation.

Debates on the Timing of the Strike

While many agree on the necessity of eliminating all Hamas leaders, some questioned whether it was appropriate to act at a time when Qatari representatives were discussing humanitarian agreements with Trump in exchange for a ceasefire.

Alternative Strategies

Instead of a ground operation, Israel used fighter jets to attack targets with missiles. Hamas reported that senior members of the organization were unharmed, although close aides and even a Qatari army officer were killed in the strike. Israeli authorities did not provide assessments of the strike’s results, but information emerged immediately after the attack that the wrong target had been hit.

Possibilities of a Ground Invasion

Uncertainty remained about whether a ground operation had a chance of success. The 2022 operation, when Mossad agents killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, is recalled.

Mossad believed that the elimination of leaders is feasible in the future, so the choice of timing remains in question. As one anonymous source noted, “we can do it in a year or several years, we have enough resources.”

Reaction to the Situation

Some analysts believe that Netanyahu lost patience in peace negotiations and set his conditions without expecting support. David Makovsky, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, emphasizes that the prime minister might have abandoned lengthy negotiations, considering the lack of Hamas positions.

Besides Barnea, the Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, Eyal Zamir, also opposed the operation, fearing that this step would hinder future negotiation processes. Nevertheless, support for the decision came from Defense Minister Israel Katzar.

Diplomatic Consequences

Israeli authorities claim that the strike was necessary to prevent the next threat. The opportunity to eliminate key Hamas leaders might have seemed too important. Attention was also drawn to a recent attack by Palestinian militants that resulted in Israeli casualties.

Qatar has already publicly condemned Israel’s actions, characterizing them as betrayal. Meanwhile, the US presented a new proposal regarding future negotiations, demonstrating promising steps for the release of hostages.

The Future of Relations

Relations between Israel and Qatar are in an unstable state due to the incident. However, some officials are confident that restoration is possible. Qatar’s Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, emphasized the importance of continuing his country’s mediating role in negotiations.

Netanyahu accuses Qatar of insufficient support, demanding that the region no longer provide shelter to terrorists. His stance towards Qatar is not only a matter of combating Hamas but also a diplomatic game that questions previous agreements between the countries.

Context of Historical Relations

In the past, Qatar hosted Hamas politicians at the request of Israel and the US. Since 2018, there has been a flow of Qatari money into Gaza in exchange for maintaining regional stabilization. Various attempts to restore relations with Qatar continue, but against the backdrop of the latest conflict escalation, they seem difficult.

The aforementioned diplomatic challenges only highlight the fragmentation of Israeli conditions, which also do not exclude the future need to request Qatari assistance.