Leaked Correspondence Reveals Netanyahu Government Approved Qatari Funds for Gaza Before Oct. 7

Declassified correspondence indicates that the government of Benjamin Netanyahu not only permitted Qatar to transfer funds to the Gaza Strip but actively advocated for the continuation of these payments prior to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Documents obtained by Time magazine reveal that Israeli security officials coordinated the transfer mechanism with Qatar and urged Doha not to alter the existing funding system.

One key document is a 2020 letter from former Mossad chief Yossi Cohen to the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, expressing gratitude for Qatar's humanitarian aid to Gaza. Cohen stated that the Qatari assistance was crucial for improving the humanitarian situation and maintaining regional stability, indicating the Mossad leadership viewed the payments positively. In another 2020 letter, Ronen Levy, using the pseudonym "Ma'oz" and identified as a representative of the National Security Council, requested Qatar maintain the established money transfer mechanism during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Israeli side insisted that funds be transferred exclusively through the Qatari Ambassador, Mohammed al-Emadi, without other intermediaries.

Evidence also suggests Israeli involvement in determining aid recipients. In July 2019, Qatar informed the Netanyahu government of a $6 million allocation for 20,000 Gazans, with each receiving $300. According to the investigation, Israeli officials participated in compiling the recipient lists, though it remains unclear if any were linked to Hamas. American diplomats told Time that Israel vetted recipients and that funds were distributed through the World Food Programme, with recipients notified via SMS to collect cash at designated points.

Qatar is now using these details to counter accusations of funding Hamas, with an Emirati representative stating that Israel's role in controlling the payment mechanism must be considered when assessing responsibility for funds potentially reaching militants. This cooperation on Qatari funding predates the 2023 war, with aid flowing to Gaza since 2007. However, the Netanyahu government became directly involved in approving its distribution. By 2018, Qatar had reportedly transferred approximately $1.1 billion to Gaza.

This policy, particularly the direct cash transfers, was controversial within Israel. Former Education Minister Naftali Bennett criticized the cash deliveries as akin to paying extortion. While the physical delivery of cash in suitcases ceased after Bennett's government took office in 2021, the Qatari financial aid system continued. Shortly before the October 7 attack, Mossad chief David Barnea visited Doha to discuss extending these payments, reportedly agreeing to a final extension while Barnea requested a two-month continuation. Netanyahu, in a 2024 interview with Time, explained his support for the transfers as an effort to prevent a humanitarian collapse in Gaza and maintain the functioning of the civilian administration.