The Israeli prime minister in 2018 asked the Qatari government to continue transferring $30m to the Gaza Strip monthly, the Israeli Ynet news site has reported, citing “a secret letter” sent to the Persian Gulf state’s leadership.

The publication said the letter has only been seen by a handful of people since being sent by Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the letter, the prime minister said funding Hamas would preserve regional stability and avert a humanitarian crisis, according to Ynet.

After Qatari officials demanded further assurances, the US government agreed to a request from Netanyahu and sent an additional letter to Doha that, in effect, ensured Qatar that funding Hamas would not be considered funding terror, the report said, adding that the letters from Netanyahu and then-US Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin ultimately “satisfied the Qataris”.