Mossad Chief Hinted at Assassinations Before Deadly Qatar Strike

In a striking revelation from a recent Israeli cabinet meeting, Mossad Director Dedi Barnea reportedly hinted at the possibility of assassinating senior Hamas leaders abroad, telling ministers, "You don't assassinate someone you are negotiating with - but now there are no negotiations."

According to the exposed details, Barnea's comment was made before the latest Trump-led ceasefire proposal was on the table, during a period when hostage release negotiations were not active.

However, the Mossad chief's stance appears to have shifted. This week, in a move that signals a deep rift within Israel's security establishment, Barnea reportedly opposed a specific assassination attempt in Qatar. Alongside the Chief of Staff and the head of the National Security Council, Barnea is said to have argued for waiting until the negotiations had concluded.

Despite the unified counsel from his top security officials, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly made a different decision, opting to proceed with the assassination attempt. The report did not specify the outcome of the operation, although Qatar confirmed the death of one of their security officials (possibly a security guard) and 5 Hamas operatives, including the son of Khalil al-Hayya, who has disappeared since the strike.

Qatar says they were not informed before, but reports indicate that Steve Witkoff tried desperately to call them and let them know. When he finally reached someone, it was too late and the site was hit moments later.

According to JPost:

"Trump administration's frustrations with Netanyahu have deepened since the strike on Tuesday, leading Trump and administration officials to question whether Netanyahu was purposely trying to hinder the talks. 

Someone close to Trump's team told Politico, "Every time they're making progress, it seems like he [Netanyahu] bombs someone ... That's why the president and his aides are so frustrated with Netanyahu."

In a powerful social media post, President Trump directly criticized Netanyahu for the decision. "The decision was made by Netanyahu, not by me," he wrote, adding that a "unilateral bombing in a sovereign and close ally that works very hard to mediate peace does not advance the goals of Israel or America."

A source close to the President described a phone call between the two leaders as "particularly stormy," characterizing it as the harshest criticism a Republican president has levied against an Israeli leader in years.

The White House spokesperson, Caroline Leavitt, confirmed that Israel did not consult with Washington before the operation.

A Channel 14 news reporter asked Trump, "How will Israel's Doha attack affect the hostage negotiations?" To which Trump replied, "Hopefully, it won't. We want all the hostages home."

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting on the issue, where they condemned the Israeli strike and reaffirmed their support for Qatar's sovereignty and its ongoing mediation efforts with the U.S. and Egypt. Qatar's prime minister was in attendance and later expressed his hope that the attack would not derail the hostage talks.

In a related development, Israel and the US had supposedly reassured Qatar recently that all Hamas operatives on Qatari soil would not be harmed.

Qatar has been deeply shaken by the attack, and leaders from neighboring Arab countries have visited in solidarity. There are also reports that they will try to take legal action against Israel, and that they have withdrawn from acting as negotiators between Israel and Hamas.

Open source Intel provided this update:

Reports indicate Qatar, Egypt, and other Arab nations are holding urgent discussions to safeguard Hamas leaders, amid skepticism over Trump’s assurance that Israel will refrain from striking Qatar again soon.

According to Al-Akhbar, Algeria offered to host Hamas officials, but Egypt rejected the idea due to tensions with Algiers and concerns it could disrupt negotiations. Cairo instead suggested accommodating Hamas officials closer to the ongoing talks, leaving the final decision to Hamas. Egyptian intelligence also stated Mossad denied any role in the Qatar attack.