Israeli broadcaster cheers Qatar strikes with champagne and sweets

An Israeli TV presenter celebrated Tuesday's strikes in Qatar live on air with champagne and sweets, before it emerged that the targeted Hamas leaders had survived the assassination attempt.

Yinon Magal, host of Channel 14’s flagship show The Patriots, popped open a bottle of champagne and handed out desserts to guests as Israel dropped around 10 bombs on Doha.

“Thank you very much for coming to the studio... Give me music, maestro,” he said, dancing to music in the background.

“Guys, clap according to the rhythm,” he added, as a song played with the lyrics: “God will reign forever and ever.”

The air strikes triggered global condemnation against Israel for violating Qatar's sovereignty and breaching international law, including statements issued by neighbouring Arab countries, the United Nations and other world leaders.

Magal has previously cheered similar attacks in the region, including the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last year.

Channel 14 has faced criticism in the past for amplifying genocidal rhetoric.

According to Haaretz, the broadcaster aired more than 50 statements supporting or calling for genocide against Palestinians between October 2023 and September 2024.

The findings came from research by three Israeli rights groups: Zulat for Equality and Human Rights, Hatzlacha - Movement for the Promotion of a Fair Society, and the Democratic Bloc.

İsrail merkezli Kanal 14’te Katar’a düzenlenen saldırı sırasında yayınlanan programda kutlamalar yapıldı, konuklara alkol ve tatlı sunuldu. pic.twitter.com/Z5Hev9wo5s

— gdh (@gundemedairhs) September 10, 2025

The broadcaster was also found to have aired more than 150 statements encouraging war crimes and crimes against humanity. These included support for mass forced expulsions, weaponised starvation in Gaza, and racist incitement against Palestinians.

The three groups have submitted letters to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and the Second Authority for Television and Radio - the Israeli broadcasting regulator - calling for a criminal investigation into Channel 14.

They also demanded sanctions and heavy fines for violating broadcast ethics.

Calls for Gaza destruction

At the start of Israel's genocide in Gaza, commentators on Channel 14 expressed outrage over talks between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then-US President Joe Biden, saying the focus should instead be on the complete “demolition and elimination” of Gaza, turning it into “sand”.

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One commentator stated that Israel should have killed “150,000 [Gazans] on the first day”.

At the time, the comments came after more than 80 days of Israeli assaults on the besieged enclave, during which over 20,000 Palestinians had already been killed.

The death toll has since surged to more than 64,600, with at least 163,300 others wounded and more than 11,000 missing.

In an interview with Channel 14 in late April, Likud MP Moshe Saada called for Gaza to be completely starved and its population expelled to other countries.

He added that any Palestinians who remained would be sent to “humanitarian zones” under Israeli military control, brushing off concerns about international criticism.

His comments came as the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) announced its food stocks in Gaza had run out, amid Israel’s two-month-long blockade of aid into the territory.

A famine has since been declared across the besieged strip, leading to more than 400 deaths from malnutrition.