Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stepped up public pressure on Qatar to bring about the release of Gaza hostages, saying the Gulf emirate should apply the leverage it has as a host and funder of the Hamas group holding them, Reuters reports.

Asked about his closed-door remarks, an audio recording of which was leaked to Israeli TV this week, that he was refraining from thanking Qatar for its mediation and deemed it “problematic”, Netanyahu told reporters: “I take back nothing.”