Israelis Dispute Kushner's Claim on Hostage Deal Catalyst

Jared Kushner, former President Donald Trump's son-in-law and confidant, stated that the United States leveraged Israel's "failed attack" in Qatar to push for a recent hostage deal with Hamas. Kushner described the operation as "terrible" and a military failure that isolated Israel internationally, asserting that the U.S. used this dynamic to pressure Hamas into an agreement they are now satisfied with, despite initial discomfort.

However, Israeli political sources have countered Kushner's narrative, telling i24NEWS that the situation is precisely the opposite. They claim that the September 9, 2025, Israeli strike, codenamed "Operation Fire Summit," targeting a Hamas leadership gathering in Doha, was the sole catalyst for the recent hostage release. This operation, an unsuccessful targeted assassination attempt, occurred while Hamas leaders were discussing a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire and hostage exchange.

These Israeli sources emphasized that the strike sent a clear message: "There is no immunity for Hamas." They drew a parallel to the aftermath of the Munich Olympics massacre, stating that "there is no immunity for murderers anywhere." The Likud party echoed this sentiment, attributing the deal to Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to enter Gaza City and target Hamas leaders in Qatar, combined with significant pressure from President Trump, which led Hamas to drop its demands.

This is not the first time a senior American official has made a similar claim. In October of the previous year, a senior U.S. official suggested to i24NEWS's diplomatic correspondent, Guy Azriel, that the attempted assassination of Hamas leaders also served as leverage for a deal, noting that "there was an attack in Doha, and the residents of Gaza blamed Hamas for the war."

The "Operation Fire Summit" led to tensions with the United States and international criticism of Israel. It also prompted Trump to sign a presidential order granting Qatar a broad U.S. security umbrella, defining any future attack on Qatar as a direct threat to U.S. national security.