Kushner, Netanyahu Spar Over Credit for Hostage Deal

A dispute has emerged between former White House advisor Jared Kushner and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party over who deserves credit for the hostage deal with Hamas. Kushner claimed that the US administration leveraged a failed Israeli strike in Doha and the resulting international pressure to push Israel towards the agreement.

In contrast, the Likud party presented a different narrative, asserting that Prime Minister Netanyahu's decision to expand military operations, coupled with pressure from then-US President Donald Trump, compelled Hamas to agree to the release of hostages. The party stated, "The Prime Minister's decision to enter the IDF into Gaza City and attack Hamas leaders in Qatar, along with President Trump's significant pressure, are what led Hamas to remove its demands and agree to release all remaining hostages in Gaza."

Kushner, speaking at the "Yalta European Strategy" conference, referred to the Israeli strike in Doha approximately a year prior, which occurred during discussions on a US ceasefire and hostage release proposal. He described the strike as a "terrible thing" and a "military operation failure" that led to Israel's global isolation. Kushner stated, "We used this dynamic to push them into a deal," adding that Israeli leadership felt discomfort with the pressure at the time.

Despite the initial discomfort, Kushner maintained that the outcome was ultimately positive for both Israel and the residents of Gaza, calling it "a great thing for them (Israel), and today they are very pleased with it," and "a great thing for the residents of Gaza as well."

The Israeli strike in Doha took place on September 9, 2025, targeting a gathering of Hamas officials in Qatar's capital. The hostage deal was signed about a month after this strike.