DOHA — Hamas has mentioned 5 of its members have been killed in an Israeli air strike in Qatar’s capital, however claimed that an try and assassinate its negotiating workforce “failed”.
Hamas mentioned the negotiating workforce was assembly to debate the newest US proposal for a ceasefire within the Gaza Strip at a residential compound in Doha when it was badly broken by a sequence of explosions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned the strike was “totally justified” as a result of it focused senior Hamas leaders who organized the 7 October 2023 assault on Israel.
Qatar condemned the Israeli assault, calling it “cowardly” and a “flagrant violation of worldwide regulation”.
The Gulf state’s inside ministry mentioned one member of its Inside Safety Pressure was killed and others have been injured, with out mentioning any Hamas casualties.
The White Home mentioned US President Donald Trump believed the incident was “unlucky” however that eliminating Hamas was “a worthy purpose”.
Qatar is a key US ally within the area that’s the location of a significant American air base.
It has hosted the Hamas political bureau since 2012, and has served together with the US and Egypt as a mediator in oblique negotiations between the group and Israel.
Witnesses in Doha mentioned they heard as many as eight separate explosions on Tuesday afternoon, with plumes of smoke rising above the town’s northern Katara district.
The strike hit “residential buildings housing a number of members of the Political Bureau of Hamas”, in line with Qatari authorities.
Inside minutes, Israel mentioned it was behind the blasts.
The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) and Shin Guess inner safety service mentioned in an announcement that they performed “a exact strike focusing on the senior management” of Hamas.
Later, Netanyahu and Protection Minister Israel Katz mentioned Israeli safety forces had been ordered on Monday to arrange for a doable strike “after the murderous assaults in Jerusalem and Gaza” – a reference to the killing of six Israelis by two Palestinian gunmen at a bus cease in Jerusalem and the killing of 4 Israeli troopers in an assault on a military camp in Gaza Metropolis.
Israeli media reported that the operation concerned 15 Israeli fighter jets, firing 10 munitions in opposition to a single goal inside a couple of seconds.
An Israeli official was cited as saying the Hamas members focused included Khalil al-Hayya, the chief negotiator and exiled Gaza chief, and Zaher Jabarin, the exiled West Financial institution chief.
A Hamas assertion denounced the Israeli strike as a “a heinous crime, a blatant aggression, and a flagrant violation of all worldwide norms and legal guidelines”.
“We verify the enemy’s failure to assassinate our brothers within the negotiating delegation,” it mentioned, with out offering any proof.
The group named 5 members who it mentioned have been killed, together with Khalil al-Hayya’s son, Humam, and Jihad Labad, the director of Hayya’s workplace.
“Focusing on the negotiating delegation, as they mentioned US President Donald Trump’s newest proposal, confirms past doubt that Netanyahu and his authorities don’t need to attain any settlement and are intentionally searching for to thwart all alternatives and thwart worldwide efforts,” it mentioned.
Hamas additionally mentioned it held the US administration “collectively accountable” for the assault due to its assist for the Israeli navy.
The White Home mentioned it was notified by the US navy that Israel was attacking Hamas.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and shut ally of america that’s working very laborious and bravely taking dangers with us to dealer peace doesn’t advance Israel or America’s targets,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt advised reporters. “Nonetheless, eliminating Hamas, who’ve profited off the distress of these residing in Gaza, is a worthy purpose.”
She added: “President Trump instantly directed particular envoy Steve Witkoff to tell the Qataris of the approaching assault, which he did.”
Afterwards, Trump spoke to Israel’s prime minister, who advised him that “he needs to make peace and shortly”, in line with Leavitt.
The president additionally spoke to the emir and prime minister of Qatar and “assured them that such a factor is not going to occur once more on their soil”, she added.
The Israeli prime minister’s workplace earlier pressured that it was a “a completely unbiased Israeli operation”. “Israel initiated it, Israel performed it, and Israel takes full duty,” it mentioned.
Qatar’s authorities reacted with fury to Israel’s actions, saying: “This felony assault constitutes a blatant violation of all worldwide legal guidelines and norms, and poses a severe risk to the safety and security of Qataris and residents in Qatar.”
Related statements of shock got here from throughout the Arab world, with Saudi Arabia denouncing what it described because the “brutal Israeli aggression”.
UN Secretary Basic António Guterres additionally condemned the strike, saying it was a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar”.
He mentioned Qatar had been “enjoying a really optimistic function to attain a ceasefire and launch of all hostages”, including: “All events should work in direction of reaching a everlasting ceasefire, not destroying it.”
French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned the strike was “unacceptable no matter motive”, whereas UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned of the chance of “additional escalation throughout the area” and known as for a ceasefire in Gaza and the discharge of hostages.
Pope Leo XIV advised journalists that “your entire scenario could be very severe”.
For the households of the 48 hostages nonetheless being held in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive, the information triggered a contemporary wave of determined anxiousness.
“I’m shaking with worry,” Einav Zangauker, whose son, Matan, is amongst these in captivity, wrote on X.
“It could possibly be that in these very moments the prime minister has really assassinated my Matan. Why does he insist on blowing up any likelihood of a deal?”
Israeli opposition chief Yair Lapid mentioned he shared the households’ considerations.
“Hamas members deserve dying,” he posted, “however at this level the Israeli authorities wants to elucidate how the IDF’s motion is not going to result in the killing of the hostages, and whether or not the chance to the hostages lives was taken into consideration.”
On Monday, Katz had warned Hamas leaders residing overseas that they’d be “annihilated” and Gaza “destroyed” if the group didn’t launch its hostages and lay down its arms.
His remarks got here a day after Hamas mentioned its negotiating workforce was speaking with mediators concerning the newest US proposal for a ceasefire and hostage launch deal.
Trump mentioned on the time that Israel had accepted his phrases, with out giving any particulars, and gave Hamas what he known as a “final warning” to simply accept it too.
A Palestinian official advised the BBC the US plan would see the hostages freed within the first 48 hours of a 60-day truce in alternate for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and good-faith negotiations on a everlasting ceasefire.
Talking to an viewers on the US embassy in Jerusalem on Tuesday night time, Netanyahu mentioned the Israel’s motion in Qatar might “open the door to an finish of the battle”.
He confirmed that Israel had accepted the US plan and urged the folks of Gaza to observe go well with, saying: “Arise in your rights and in your future. Make peace with us.”
Israel has killed many high Hamas leaders over the previous 23 months.
The group’s exiled political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed by an explosion at a guesthouse throughout a go to to Iran in July 2024.
Yahya Sinwar, who masterminded the 7 October assault and succeeded Haniyeh, was killed by Israeli troops in southern Gaza in October 2024.
The Israeli navy launched a marketing campaign in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, by which about 1,200 folks have been killed and 251 others have been taken hostage.
A minimum of 64,605 folks have been killed in Israeli assaults in Gaza since then, in line with the territory’s Hamas-run well being ministry. — BBC
