Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports that approximately 30 individuals, including influence experts and a former Mossad official, participated in a campaign targeting Qatar following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. The initiative aimed to pressure Qatar regarding its relationship with Hamas and was launched shortly after the attacks on southern Israel. According to the report, the campaign's goal was to create a global civilian influence effort against Qatar, with the belief that international pressure could compel Doha to influence Hamas for the release of 251 captives taken to Gaza on October 7.
A WhatsApp group named Free the Kidnapped was created days after the attacks. The identities of the individuals who initiated the operation are not disclosed. The campaign was characterized as a civilian initiative by Haaretz. Marc Owen Jones, an associate professor at Northwestern University in Qatar, commented that it is improbable such a campaign would exist without Israeli motivation, noting he has tracked a similar campaign against Qatar for the past three years.
Qatar has been a key mediator between Hamas and Israel since the onset of the conflict. Israeli officials have frequently traveled to Doha for indirect negotiations with Hamas. However, the Israeli army conducted a missile strike in Qatar on September 9, 2022, targeting Hamas's negotiating team, resulting in six fatalities, including a Qatari national. This strike was condemned by several countries, including France and the United Kingdom, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later issued an apology.
Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have resulted in over 73,700 Palestinian deaths and significant injuries in Gaza. Qatar has consistently denied allegations of funding Hamas, emphasizing the oversight of its aid transfers. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatar’s prime minister, stated that all aid was directed to the people of Gaza and was transparent. Doha has hosted Hamas’s political office since 2012 at the request of the United States.
Haaretz reported that participants in the anti-Qatar campaign raised funds, produced videos, contacted journalists, and established a website and social media accounts. However, the campaign was abruptly halted about a month after its initiation, with one participant stating, "We stopped dealing with the Qatar campaign. I never heard anything more about the campaign." Andreas Krieg, a senior lecturer at King’s College London, noted the contradiction in Israel's relationship with Qatar, stating that while Israel has portrayed Qatar as a supporter of Hamas, it has also relied on Qatar for access to Hamas and other actors.