Kushner: US used Israel's isolation after Doha strike to secure Gaza deal

Jared Kushner, serving as US President Donald Trump's envoy, said Washington deliberately exploited Israel's diplomatic isolation following the failed September airstrike in Doha to pressure the country into accepting a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release agreement.

Failed Doha operation

The Sept. 9, 2025 airstrike on a residential compound in Doha's Leqtaifiya district targeted senior Hamas leaders who had gathered to discuss a US-backed ceasefire proposal for the Gaza conflict. The operation failed to kill its primary targets, though it left five Hamas members and aides dead, including the son of senior leader Khalil al-Hayya, and claimed the life of a 22-year-old Qatari Internal Security Force officer.

Diplomatic leverage

Kushner characterized the military operation as a tactical failure that left Israel exposed on the world stage. "Israel did the strike in Doha, which was a terrible thing," he said. "It was unsuccessful as a military operation, and that led to Israel being globally isolated." He noted that Washington moved swiftly to capitalize on this diplomatic vulnerability, using the pressure to advance negotiations that had stalled.

Ceasefire terms

"And we used that dynamic in order to push them into a deal that now, today, they're quite happy with," Kushner said. He acknowledged that Israeli officials initially resisted certain measures Washington was urging them to accept, noting: "At the time, they were a little uncomfortable with kind of what we were pushing them to do." The presidential envoy maintained that the agreement ultimately served both parties, adding: "But ultimately, it turned out to be great for them, and it turned out to be great for the people of Gaza."