Israeli missiles hit a building in Doha where Hamas leaders were meeting, reportedly engaged in negotiations on the peace agreement proposed by Donald Trump .
Iraqi broadcaster Sabrin News initially reported that the attack targeted Hamas's headquarters in the city, while a Gaza source clarified that the targets were senior officials. This was later confirmed by the IDF and Shin Bet, which claimed responsibility for the attack and announced shortly after the explosions in the Qatari capital that the air force "targeted the top officials of the terrorist organization Hamas."
Reports on the toll of the attack remain conflicting. Saudi Arabian TV, al-Arabiya, reports that Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya (chief negotiator and former deputy to Yahya Sinwar) was killed. Other sources have told Saudi Arabian TV, al-Hadath, that Hamas leaders Zaher Jabarin, Khaled Mashaal, and Nizar Awdallah were also killed . Israeli security sources, pending final verification, believe that six senior Hamas officials were killed .
But Al Jazeera, citing a senior Hamas official, reports that the organization's leaders survived the attack . Palestinian media reports that two people were killed, but not top Hamas leaders : the victims are believed to be Himam al-Hayya, son of Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Gaza, and Jihad Labad, director of Khalil al-Hayya's office.
A Hamas source also said that the leaders were targeted while discussing Trump's proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, a proposal accepted by Israel .
According to Channel 12 sources , Trump himself gave the green light to the attack . The operation was coordinated in advance with the Americans and approved by Israel's inner cabinet, but kept secret from the rest of the ministers. The US says it informed Qatar of the attack, but Doha denies it: "The call from a US official came as explosions caused by the Israeli attack could already be heard," Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote in X.
And Trump, for his part, made it known through White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt that he "does not have a positive opinion of the attack on a US ally like Qatar, which is working for peace," while acknowledging that "the goal of eliminating Hamas is just." However, the spokeswoman emphasized, "the attack does not meet the objectives of the US and Israel."
Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement: "Today's action against the top Hamas terrorist leaders was a completely independent operation by Israel. Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility."
The operation, the Prime Minister and Defense Minister Katz reported, was decided yesterday after the attack in Jerusalem : "Today, at noon, in light of an operational opportunity and after consultations with all the security establishment's top brass, we decided to implement the instruction given last night following the attack in Jerusalem and the attack on the IDF in Gaza. The Shin Bet and the IDF executed the operation in Doha precisely and effectively," a joint statement read.
The Shin Bet released photos taken from its special operations command center. During the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, the acting head of Shin Bet "M," Shlomi Binder, head of the IDF's Intelligence Directorate, and other officials were present at the command center.
Giorgia Meloni posted a message on social media: "On behalf of myself and the Italian government, I express our sincere support for Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Qatar , reaffirming Italy's support for all efforts to end the war in Gaza. Italy remains opposed to any form of escalation that could lead to a further worsening of the crisis in the Middle East."
The attack obviously sparked the ire of Qatar, which called it "cowardly." "A flagrant violation of all international law," the government statement read. The Qatari government has opened an investigation "managed by the highest levels" of the country's institutions.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms," saying it targeted a residential building "where several members of the Hamas political bureau reside in the Qatari capital, Doha." The attack constitutes a "flagrant violation of international law and a grave threat" to the people of Qatar, he added. "The State of Qatar strongly condemns this attack and affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless behavior by Israel, nor the continued tampering with the region's security, nor any action aimed at its security and sovereignty," the statement concluded.
Following the attack, Doha decided to suspend negotiations until further notice .
(Unioneonline)