Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a Monday telephone call placed from the White House, apologized to Qatar's prime minister for strikes against Hamas in the Gulf country, a diplomat said.
The diplomat, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said Netanyahu spoke with Emir Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and voiced regret for the violation of Qatari sovereignty and the death of a Qatari security guard in the September attack.
Netanyahu had earlier been unrepentant for the September 9 strike in a residential area of Doha that targeted Hamas leaders who were to review a US ceasefire proposal in Gaza. But US President Donald Trump, who has close relations with Qatar, has said he was unhappy about the strike and he has been seeking again a truce in Gaza.
Qatar and other Arab nations condemned Israel’s strike and said it dealt a significant blow to efforts to end the conflict in Gaza.
The call came as Netanyahu joined Trump for talks, with the US President pushing the Israeli leader to agree to an elusive Gaza peace plan. Trump has presented a 21-point plan to both sides to end the nearly two-year war, free hostages held by Hamas and disarm the Palestinian militants.
The US leader said Sunday on social media that "ALL ARE ON BOARD FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, FIRST TIME EVER," and held talks with key Arab leaders at the United Nations last week.
But Netanyahu has given little reason for optimism, vowing in a defiant UN speech Friday to "finish the job" against Hamas and rejecting Palestinian statehood -- recently recognized by several Western nations.
The White House announced that the pair are scheduled to hold a joint news conference at 1:15 pm (1715 GMT), in an apparent indication that Trump is hoping to announce a deal. "He wants this war to come to an end, he wants to see all the hostages released," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on Monday.
Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff had sent a "very detailed 21-point plan to both sides and the president expects both sides to agree," she said.