Israeli warplanes bombed the Qatari capital, Doha, on Tuesday, killing the 5 main members of the Palestinian negotiating team that was considering the latest ceasefire deal proposed by Donald Trump. A Qatari security official was also killed in the attack.
The targeted assassination comes a day after chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya met Qatar’s PM in ceasefire talks. Qatari Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said, “Israel’s message is clear: no one is safe in the region. Every time a potential breakthrough approaches in the ceasefire negotiations, we witness Israeli escalation.”
Qatar is the 5th country hit by Israel in 48 hours, following suspected Israeli drone strikes on two of the fifty humanitarian aid ships on their way to bring much-needed medicine and medical supplies to Gaza. In doing so, Israel has again sabotaged efforts to bring an end to their ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Jeremy Scahill, co-founder of DropSite News, told Al Jazeera, “There are serious questions that we have to ask about the extent of U.S. involvement in this attack.”
The bombing targeted residential headquarters where a number of members of Hamas’s political bureau reside in the capital of Qatar, Doha.
The State of Qatar condemned the attack in the strongest terms, saying that this criminal attack constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms, and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar.
The Ministry confirmed that the security authorities, civil defense, and competent authorities immediately began dealing with the incident and taking the necessary measures to contain its consequences and ensure the safety of residents and surrounding areas.
In a statement following Israel’s assassination of its top negotiating leaders in Qatar today, Hamas condemned the attack, stating that Netanyahu deliberately sabotaged peace efforts and showed disregard for captives and regional stability.
Hamas also held the U.S. jointly responsible for supporting Israel, describing the attack as proof of the Zionist occupation’s ongoing threat, including forced displacement, ethnic cleansing against Palestinians.
Hamas assured the safety of its leadership but confirmed the killing of several members:
Jihad Labad – Director of Dr. Khalil al-Hayya’s office
Humam al-Hayya – Son of Dr. Khalil al-Hayya
Abdullah Abdul Wahid – Accompanying staff
Moamen Hassouna – Accompanying staff
Ahmed Al-Mamlouk – Accompanying staff
They also mourned Qatari Internal Security officer Arif Badr Saad Mohammed Al-Humaidi.
Trump expressed that he felt “very badly about the location of the attack,” describing Qatar as “a strong ally and friend of the U.S.”, adding, “Netanyahu told me after the attack on Qatar that he wants to achieve peace, and this unfortunate incident could be an opportunity for peace.”
Given the Israeli attack Qatar witnessed today, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated that the current Gaza ceasefire negotiations have effectively lost validity.
U.S. military officials say they had tracked Israeli aircrafts heading toward the Gulf and sought clarification, but missiles were already in the air before Israel responded.
Trump said he was briefed late and instructed envoy Steve Witkoff to alert Qatar, but the strike had already occurred. The US claimed that Netanyahu’s adviser had prior knowledge but did not disclose the plans to the US.
Israeli officials told the Jerusalem Post the US greenlit the assassination strike.
The Israeli ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter threatened further strikes on Qatar, saying: “If we don’t eliminate Hamas leadership this time, we will reach them next time.”
