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During an interview with CBS News’ “60 Minutes,” President Donald Trump’s representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, expressed feelings of “betrayal” following Israel’s recent airstrikes on senior Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar. These strikes occurred while crucial negotiations with the group were in progress, as Witkoff shared in the discussion alongside Kushner.
“Both Jared and I felt, I just feel we felt somewhat betrayed,” Witkoff admitted, reflecting on the unexpected turn of events.
When questioned about Trump’s stance on the September 9 attack, Kushner explained, “He believed the Israelis were acting somewhat recklessly and that decisive action was needed to prevent them from making decisions that would not serve their long-term interests.”
Witkoff further elaborated that the attack complicated negotiations, stating, “It had a far-reaching impact because Qatar played a crucial role in the talks, alongside Egypt and Turkey.”
He added, “We lost Qatar’s trust, which forced Hamas to go into hiding, making it extremely challenging to re-engage with them,” underscoring the difficulties faced by the negotiating team.
Witkoff learned about the strikes on the morning after the attack, he related.
The full interview is scheduled to air on Sunday.
Those targeted in the Israel Defense Forces- and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet)-led strike in Qatar had for years directed the Palestinian terrorist group’s operations.
They were directly responsible for the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre and have been managing the ongoing war against Israel, according to an IDF statement at the time.
The military said measures were taken to minimize civilian casualties, including the use of precision munitions.
It added that efforts would continue with determination to defeat Hamas.
It is believed that most Hamas leaders survived the incident.
Khalil al-Hayya, one of the officials who survived the attack, subsequently met with Witkoff and Kushner in Egypt to cement the ceasefire deal that went into effect on Oct. 10, according to Axios.
All 20 living hostages held in Gaza have returned to Israel as part of the deal, with 18 bodies yet to be returned.