Doha strike shows gov't does not want to bring back the hostages, former PM Olmert tells Al Jazeera

Former prime minister Ehud Olmert told Qatari outlet Al Jazeera that the only explanation for the Doha strike on Hamas is that the Israeli government doesn't care about the hostages.

The only reason the attack on Hamas leaders in Doha took place is that the current government is not interested in bringing back the hostages, former prime minister Ehud Olmert claimed during an interview for Qatari outlet Al Jazeera on Saturday.

“If someone wants to eliminate them at this moment, the only explanation for this operation is that they do not want to negotiate for the release of the hostages," Olmert said during the interview.

He further emphasized that "killing a negotiating team means you don't want negotiations and don't want the release of the hostages."

According to Olmert, Hamas members should be punished, but the strike in Doha "was not in the right place or at the right time."

Olmert added that the assassination attempt failed, and, in his view, its execution during the negotiations was "a hasty decision that led to a destructive result."

Olmert criticizes current government’s fighting policy

Olmert expressed that he "regrets" the death of the son of senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Hayya, who was killed in the attack, as well as the injury Hayya's wife.

"A child should not be a victim, and his wife was also hurt. We are fighting terrorism, and they will be punished when the time comes, but the family is a different story," he said.

He reiterated his opposition to the current government's policy regarding the ongoing fighting, arguing that "the cabinet and the military gave orders to kill Palestinians indiscriminately, including those not connected to the events of October 7."

“This is a wrong policy,” Olmert believes, adding he intends to work with others to bring about the end of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure, claiming that Netanyahu "does not represent Israel and poses a danger to the country."

Previous controversial statements Olmert has made to international media

In May, Olmert told the BBC that what Israel "is currently doing in Gaza is very close to a war crime. Thousands of innocent Palestinians are being killed, as well as many Israeli soldiers."

He also told CNN that he can no longer defend Israel against accusations of war crimes later that month.

Additionally, in July, he called Defense Minister Israel Katz's "humanitarian city" plan in Gaza a "concentration camp" in an interview with The Guardian.