US used Israel’s Doha strikes to secure Gaza ceasefire: Kushner

Washington: The United States capitalised on Israel’s international isolation following its controversial airstrike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha to push through a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release agreement, US President Donald Trump’s adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner has said.

Speaking at the Yalta European Security Conference, Kushner said the September attack in Qatar’s capital had failed to eliminate the targeted Hamas leadership. A security official and several lower-ranking members were killed, but the operation triggered intense international pressure on Israel, creating an opening for Washington to advance negotiations.

Kushner maintained that careful diplomatic groundwork enabled the US to use the crisis to secure a ceasefire agreement. He characterised the Doha operation as a serious military misstep, while arguing that the diplomatic fallout ultimately created conditions that helped advance the Gaza negotiations.

His assessment, however, drew a sharp response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party. The party rejected the suggestion that Israel’s isolation was the decisive factor, arguing instead that the strong Israel Defence Forces (IDF) strike on Hamas’ headquarters in Qatar, combined with intense pressure from Trump, forced Hamas to release the remaining hostages.

The Doha operation had also triggered a diplomatic confrontation between Israel and the United States. Washington reportedly exerted strong pressure on Netanyahu to publicly apologise to Qatar’s ruler over the strike.

A Gaza ceasefire agreement subsequently took effect in October, with the remaining hostages released. However, the situation remains contentious, with Israeli attacks continuing after the agreement and key provisions of the ceasefire yet to be fully implemented, according to the report.