Donald Trump was reportedly left feeling blindsided and betrayed after Israel carried out a surprise attack on Qatar, a move that upended delicate peace negotiations and ultimately reshaped his approach to the Middle East conflict.
Sources say the incident prompted a historic peace deal aimed at securing the release of Israeli hostages.
White House Staff Shocked by Doha Strikes
Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff told CBS’s 60 Minutes that the attacks on Doha on September 9 caught the White House completely off guard.
The strikes, aimed at Hamas leaders, forced the negotiators underground, halting talks that had been progressing just a day earlier.
“We woke up the next morning to find out there had been this attack,” Witkoff recalled.
Both he and Kushner admitted they “felt betrayed” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision, which the White House had no prior knowledge of.
Trump’s Furious Response
CBS anchor Lesley Stahl noted that Trump was reportedly “furious” when he learned of the strikes.
Kushner said the president viewed Israel’s actions as overstepping boundaries and immediately adjusted his approach.
“I think he felt like the Israelis were getting a little bit out of control,” Kushner explained.
“It was time to be very strong and stop them from doing things that he felt were not in their long-term interest.”
Diplomacy Disrupted and Red Lines Crossed
Witkoff emphasized that targeting leaders with whom the U.S. was actively negotiating was a red line.
The move strained relations with Qatar, which had been central to facilitating talks, as well as with Egypt and Turkey.
“The Qataris were critical to the negotiation, as were the Egyptians and the Turks, and we had lost the confidence of the Qataris,” Witkoff said.
“And so Hamas went underground, and it was very, very difficult to get to them.”
He added that the strikes almost derailed hopes for a peace deal, highlighting how crucial Qatar’s cooperation had been.
Trump’s Personal Ties to Qatar
The attacks shocked global observers, marking the first time Israel had targeted Qatar.
Trump had recently strengthened ties with the Gulf nation, even accepting a $400 million Boeing 747 luxury jet as a gift.
Kushner and other members of Trump’s inner circle also have business connections with Qatar, adding another layer of tension to the situation.
Trump voiced his disapproval publicly on Truth Social, explaining that he had instructed Witkoff to warn the Qataris of the attack—though, unfortunately, the message came too late.
“I view Qatar as a strong ally and friend and feel very badly about the location of the attack,” Trump wrote.
“I want ALL of the hostages, and bodies of the dead, released, and this War to END, NOW!”
Historic Peace Deal Signed in Egypt
Despite the setback, Trump’s 20-point peace plan was signed in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13, marking the formal end of the two-year Gaza war.
The deal reunited families torn apart by the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attack and is being hailed as a major diplomatic breakthrough, though concerns remain about its durability.
Continuing Challenges and Hamas Threats
Even after the deal, images emerged showing Hamas executing Palestinians it accused of collaborating with Israel, raising fears the peace could unravel quickly.
Kushner called the acts horrific but unsurprising, noting the organization’s predictable behavior.
“Hamas right now is doing exactly what you would expect a terrorist organization to do, which is to try to reconstitute and take back their positions,” he said.
“The success or failure of this will be if Israel and this international mechanism is able to create a viable alternative.
If they are successful, Hamas will fail, and Gaza will not be a threat to Israel in the future.”
The U.S. State Department has also warned that Hamas may be planning further attacks on Palestinian civilians, which would violate the ceasefire agreement and complicate the fragile peace.