Families of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of blocking efforts to secure their loved ones' release, saying an Israeli strike in Doha this week demonstrated "there is one obstacle" to bringing the hostages home.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum: Bring Them Home Now wrote on social media that last week's attack on senior Hamas leaders in Qatar showed "every time a deal approaches, Netanyahu sabotages it." The group said the move "proved beyond any doubt that there is one obstacle to returning the 48 hostages and ending the war: Prime Minister Netanyahu," and added that his "stalling" had cost "the lives of 42 hostages and threatens the lives of additional hostages who are barely surviving."
The criticisms follow an Israeli strike in Doha that Hamas said killed five of its members and a Qatari security official. Netanyahu defended the operation, saying removing Hamas leaders in Qatar "would rid the main obstacle" to releasing the hostages and ending the war, and accused Hamas of blocking ceasefire attempts to prolong the conflict.
The strike drew condemnation from Qatar, which called the attack "cowardly" and a "flagrant violation of international law." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio travelled to Israel this week and is scheduled to meet Netanyahu amid international concern over the operation. Before his departure, Rubio said US President Donald Trump was "not happy" with the strike but described the US-Israel relationship as "very strong," and reiterated that the US priority remains the return of all hostages and an end to the war.
Hamas said the Doha strike killed senior figures who it said were involved in the 7 October attacks on southern Israel that triggered the current campaign. Those assaults, led by Hamas fighters from Gaza, killed about 1,200 people in Israel and resulted in roughly 251 people being taken hostage, according to Israeli tallies.
Israeli forces have intensified operations in northern Gaza and Gaza City, where large-scale air strikes have levelled apartment blocks and concrete structures, residents and officials said. The Israeli military has warned residents to leave the area ahead of a planned ground offensive; it said about 250,000 people had moved south from Gaza City.
Residents and aid workers reported that the military has struck schools and makeshift shelters, sometimes after issuing only short warnings. The UN and other international agencies have repeatedly warned that a military escalation in an area where famine has been declared risks pushing civilians "into an even deeper catastrophe," and have called for urgent steps to protect noncombatants and increase humanitarian access.
The Gaza health ministry, run by Hamas, reported at least 64,605 deaths in the territory from Israeli military action since the conflict escalated after the October attack. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October offensive and has said it aims to dismantle Hamas's military infrastructure.
Families of hostages and rights groups say prolonged fighting, diplomatic setbacks and recent targeted strikes on Hamas leaders abroad have undermined negotiations to free the captives. Netanyahu and other Israeli officials have argued that degrading Hamas leadership and capabilities is necessary to ensure future security, and have faulted Hamas for rejecting ceasefire proposals.
As diplomatic efforts continue with visits by US officials and communications involving regional actors such as Qatar, the fate of the remaining hostages and the humanitarian situation in Gaza remain central concerns for negotiators and relatives alike. The families called for an end to what they described as "excuses designed to buy time" and urged immediate action to secure hostage releases amid the intensifying military campaign.