Netanyahu denies harming ties with Egypt; says he does not retract his criticisms of Qatar

Taking questions at a press conference, Netanyahu repeats his insistence that investigations of the events surrounding October 7 should wait until the end of the war. “I don’t want officers, commanders and statespeople” needing to hire lawyers to deal with such investigations during the fighting. “There’ll be time for these things later.”

Regarding Likud MK Tally Gotliv’s peddling of conspiracy theories, he says his office has condemned the things she has said, including her exposing the identity of a Shin Bet officer.

Pressed further on this, Netanyahu castigates the journalist querying him, saying the reporter, Matan Hodorov, came to the press conference not to ask questions but to attack the prime minister. “I fight Hamas, and you fight me. That’s the division of labor,” says Netanyahu.

Asked by Hodorov whether he has harmed relations with Egypt and Qatar, and thus hurt the prospects for the release of hostages, Netanyahu snipes sarcastically at “the objective framing of the question” and insists Israel-Egypt ties are “intact.”

“They worry about their interests and I worry about our interests,” he says.

He does not retract his criticisms of Qatar and says he uses every avenue to put pressure on Hamas to try to return the hostages.

“Qatar hosts the heads of Hamas, it also funds Hamas and it has leverage over Hamas,” he says. “It promised to ensure that the medicines would reach… our hostages. And it said it could help to return [the hostages]. So it should place its pressure on [Hamas]. It placed itself as a mediator. Please, prove it and return our hostages. And meantime, transfer the medicines to them.”