Qatar and U.S. Near Defence Deal Amid Fallout from Israeli Strike on Hamas Leaders

Qatar and the United States are nearing the conclusion of an expanded defence cooperation agreement, according to senior U.S. diplomat Marco Rubio, who made the remarks on Tuesday. His comments come in the wake of Israel’s controversial strike on senior Hamas figures based in Qatar last week — an incident that has drawn widespread international criticism.

The attack, which took place in Doha, was particularly delicate given Qatar’s status as a key U.S. ally and the host of the largest American military base in the Middle East. Qatar has also played a central role, alongside Egypt, in facilitating ceasefire negotiations since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza nearly two years ago.

Speaking before his departure from Tel Aviv to Doha, Rubio stressed the urgency of Qatar continuing its mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas, noting that a narrow window remains to reach a ceasefire agreement.

“If there’s any country capable of mediating a deal, it’s Qatar,” Rubio said. “We have a strong partnership with them, and we’re close to finalising an enhanced defence cooperation agreement.”

Though he did not provide specifics on the agreement, Rubio underscored the importance of U.S.-Qatar ties amid escalating regional tensions.

Qatar, for its part, condemned the Israeli strike as ‘cowardly and treacherous’, but reaffirmed its commitment to act as a mediator — working alongside Egypt and the United States — despite the incident.

During a visit in May, former U.S. President Donald Trump had pledged to defend energy-rich Qatar if it faced external threats. Trump stated that he had not been briefed in advance by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the strike.

In a joint press conference with Rubio on Monday, Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s intent to target Hamas leadership “wherever they are,” just as leaders from Arab and Islamic nations convened to express solidarity with Qatar following the attack.

Trump expressed dissatisfaction with the Israeli operation, describing it as a unilateral move that did not align with U.S. or Israeli strategic interests. In a follow-up meeting with the Qatari Prime Minister in New York on Friday, Trump reportedly offered reassurances that similar actions would not be repeated.