Kushner Criticizes Israeli Strike in Doha, Cites US Leverage Gain

Jared Kushner, former advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, has sharply criticized an Israeli military strike that occurred in Doha, Qatar, in September 2025. Speaking via video conference at a Kyiv conference, Kushner described the strike as "terrible" and militarily ineffective, stating it significantly worsened Israel's international isolation.

Despite the negative impact on Israel's diplomatic standing, Kushner revealed that the Trump administration saw an opportunity in the situation. He explained that the U.S. leveraged Israel's weakened diplomatic position to increase negotiation pressure, pushing Israeli leadership towards concessions needed for a Gaza agreement. While initially met with Israeli reluctance, Kushner believes Israeli authorities now view the resulting agreement more favorably.

Kushner also suggested the agreement has benefited the population of Gaza, particularly through a new governance structure expected to assume more responsibilities as demilitarization progresses. However, he emphasized that the Doha strike was not solely responsible for this development, noting that months of prior U.S. diplomatic groundwork were essential to creating the conditions for an agreement. The Israeli operation, he stated, provided an "opportunity window" that could only be exploited due to this preceding diplomatic effort.

Kushner's candid critique of a specific Israeli military operation is unusual for someone closely associated with Donald Trump. His account suggests Washington viewed the Doha strike not just as a tactical failure but as a significant strategic cost for Israel, undermining its international standing and paradoxically enhancing U.S. influence over Israeli decision-making. The Doha incident, in Kushner's narrative, became a turning point, where a failed military operation led to Israel's diplomatic difficulty and provided the U.S. with leverage to advance negotiations and shape a new political landscape in Gaza.