The father of an American-Israeli hostage held in Gaza has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of manipulating President Donald Trump while prioritizing revenge over the safe return of captives. Ruby Chen, whose son Itay was taken hostage on October 7, 2023, wrote a strongly worded opinion piece following Israel’s controversial strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar this week.
Israel carried out an unprecedented attack targeting Hamas leadership in Qatar’s capital Doha on Tuesday, killing six people including a Qatari security officer. The strike targeted senior Hamas officials including chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya, who had been meeting with other leaders to discuss a new U.S. ceasefire proposal. While Hamas claimed the attack failed to assassinate its main targets, it has effectively disrupted ongoing peace negotiations.
According to MSNBC, Chen argued that “Netanyahu is playing Trump” and accused the Israeli leader of choosing to “prioritize revenge over saving the hostages.” The grieving father pointed out that ceasefire talks were reportedly progressing, with negotiators exchanging side letters to close gaps in the deal’s framework. However, Netanyahu’s decision to authorize the Qatar strike has put the entire negotiation process at risk, potentially sacrificing the remaining 48 hostages still held by Hamas.
Trump administration officials express frustration with Israeli timing
President Trump publicly criticized Israel’s action, telling reporters he was “very unhappy about every aspect” of the strike. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt described the attack as counterproductive, stating that “unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”
The timing of the strike has created significant diplomatic tensions. Trump administration officials revealed they learned of the attack only shortly before it began, leaving them unable to warn Qatar’s government. The strike targeted residential buildings in Doha’s West Bay Lagoon area, home to foreign embassies and international residents. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani condemned the attack as “state terrorism” and denied receiving any advance warning from Israel or the United States.
Chen noted in his piece that Trump administration officials had promised hostage families they would not reach 700 days with their loved ones in captivity. His son Itay, a 19-year-old dual citizen who served in the Israel Defense Forces, was confirmed killed on October 7 but his body remains held in Gaza. The Chen family, along with other hostage families, has demanded stronger action from both Israeli and American leadership to secure the return of all hostages.
The Qatar strike highlights the broader tensions between Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict and Trump’s foreign policy objectives in the Middle East. As negotiations for a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage release deal continue to stall, families like the Chens remain caught between competing political interests while their loved ones remain in captivity after nearly two years.
Published: Sep 11, 2025 11:10 am