Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has delivered his strongest message yet to Qatar, warning that Hamas leaders must be expelled or prosecuted — or Israel will take matters into its own hands.

His statement came just one day after Israel launched a precision airstrike in Doha targeting Hamas leadership. Though the group’s top officials reportedly escaped, the strike killed five key figures, including the son of senior Hamas commander Khalil al-Hayya, three bodyguards, and al-Hayya’s office chief.

In a defiant address, Netanyahu drew a direct comparison between Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre — which killed over 1,200 Israelis — and the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

“Governments cannot give safe haven to terrorists,” Netanyahu declared. “Just as the U.S. pursued al-Qaeda and killed Osama bin Laden, Israel will pursue Hamas leaders anywhere they hide. Those who cheered America then have no right to condemn Israel now.”

Netanyahu accused Qatar of “bankrolling terror” and housing Hamas’s senior leadership in “luxury mansions,” insisting that such support has prolonged the war and prevented the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

Qatar’s government lashed out, accusing Netanyahu of “Islamophobia” and threatening state sovereignty. But Israeli officials dismissed the criticism, noting that Doha has been the chief financial backer of Hamas for years under the guise of mediation.

President Isaac Herzog backed the strike, calling al-Hayya “the main obstacle to a ceasefire and hostage deal” and saying he has “the blood of thousands of Israelis on his hands.”

Security sources confirmed that Israel acted on precise intelligence and would continue targeting Hamas operatives “wherever they operate.”

“Israel has a moral duty to protect its citizens and bring justice to the perpetrators of October 7,” one senior official said. “No terrorist is beyond our reach.”

The operation has sparked debate inside Israel, with some arguing the timing could complicate hostage negotiations. But many analysts see Netanyahu’s ultimatum as a message not only to Qatar but to every state that harbors Hamas operatives — that Israel’s campaign against terrorism will not be limited by borders.

As tensions rise, Netanyahu’s hardline stance signals that Israel is prepared to escalate its global hunt for Hamas leadership until justice is served and its citizens are safe.