Netanyahu Signals Possible Continued Strikes on Hamas Leaders

Mon Oct 20 2025 02:27:40 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a press conference, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu emphasizes Israel's right to strike Hamas leaders anywhere, even as tensions rise due to recent actions in Qatar.

During a recent press conference alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that Israel will not cease its military actions against Hamas leaders regardless of their location. Following an attack in Qatar, which sparked international backlash, Netanyahu asserted every nation’s right to defend itself against threats. The situation remains tense with ongoing violence in Gaza and diplomatic concerns surrounding US-Israel relations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not ruled out further strikes on Hamas leaders following last week's attack in Qatar, saying they would not have immunity wherever they are.

Speaking at a Jerusalem press conference with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Netanyahu said every country had the right to defend itself beyond its borders.

Israel's decision to target Hamas leaders in Qatar - a close US ally - drew international outrage and criticism from US President Donald Trump. Hamas said six people were killed but that its leaders survived.

Netanyahu's comments come days after the White House said Trump had assured Qatar that such a thing will not happen again on their soil.

When pressed on whether the US had any involvement in the strike, Netanyahu told journalists: We did it on our own. Period.

In response to a BBC question about whether the strike had damaged US relations in the region, Rubio said Washington maintained strong relationships with our Gulf allies.

The pair presented a broadly united front, even amid the apparent tensions, with Rubio praising the two countries' technological and cultural ties - and Netanyahu saying Israel had no better ally.

Their meeting comes as Arab leaders hold a summit in a show of support for Qatar. The Qatari prime minister urged the international community to stop applying double standards and to punish Israel.

Qatar hosts a major US airbase and has played a key role in brokering diplomatic efforts to end the war in Gaza. It has mediated indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel since hosting the Hamas political bureau in 2012.

Netanyahu told reporters that the US-Israel relationship was as durable as the stones in the Western Wall while he and Rubio made a brief visit to the holy site in Jerusalem's Old City. During the trip, Rubio wrote a note and placed it into the wall, a traditional ritual performed by visitors.

The Israeli military has continued its operations in Gaza, with reports indicating the demolition of buildings and preparations for ground operations in Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands are expected to flee the area.

This has drawn international concern, with the UN warning that escalations in the offensive could lead to increased humanitarian crises in an already dire situation.

As the UN General Assembly session approaches, Netanyahu's government strategy on the West Bank remains contentious, with ongoing debates about the future of Palestinian statehood against a backdrop of settlement approval and military actions.