Israel’s Strike on Qatar: What We Know One Day After ‘Cowardly’ Attack
What happened in Qatar?
Explosions shook Doha on Tuesday afternoon, around 3pm local time (12:00 GMT), sending plumes of smoke into the city’s skyline. Residents reported hearing blasts across several neighborhoods, according to Al Jazeera.
About an hour later, Israel’s military confirmed that it had struck a compound in Doha, claiming it housed senior Hamas political leaders involved in ceasefire talks. Qatar swiftly denounced the assault.
The strike marked a significant escalation, as Israel had previously relied on Qatar as a venue for negotiations over Gaza.
Where did the attack take place?
The missiles hit the West Bay Lagoon district, a prominent area in Doha with embassies, schools, supermarkets, and residential compounds. The neighborhood is home to both Qataris and expatriates.
What has Hamas said?
According to a Hamas official, the strikes specifically targeted negotiators working on the latest US ceasefire proposal.
Suhail al-Hindi, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, said senior figures Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Meshaal were among those targeted but survived. However, al-Hayya’s son, Humam, and one of his aides were killed, while three bodyguards remain unaccounted for.
“The blood of the leadership of the movement is like the blood of any Palestinian child,” al-Hindi told Al Jazeera Arabic.
What do we know about casualties?
Hamas reported six deaths in total. Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed that a Qatari security official had been killed and several others injured.
Authorities said security teams were continuing to inspect the area. “Specialised crews are continuing to inspect and secure the targeted area with the explosives division of the internal security forces,” the ministry said.
What has Israel said?
Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office stated that the strike was carried out solely by Israel.
“Today’s action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation,” the statement read.
Netanyahu linked the decision to Monday’s shooting in occupied East al-Quds that left six Israeli settlers dead. “The prime minister and defense minister believed the operation was completely justified in light of the fact that this Hamas leadership initiated and organized the October 7 massacre,” they said.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid also praised the operation, calling it an “exceptional” military achievement.
How have other Palestinian leaders reacted?
Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, said the attack on Doha was a “turning point that will have dangerous implications” for the region.
“This operation is against Qatar, which is leading the mediation efforts, and against the Hamas leadership that is discussing the American proposal. Is there worse shamelessness?” he asked.
How has Qatar responded?
Majed al-Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, condemned the assault, calling it “a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar.”
He added: “The State of Qatar affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and its continued tampering with regional security, as well as any action targeting its security and sovereignty.”
Qatar’s Interior Ministry later reassured residents that the situation was under control and urged the public to rely on official information sources.
What is the latest in Qatar?
Authorities confirmed the attack had struck a Hamas residential facility but stressed that the wider situation remained safe.
Qatar Airways announced that flights were unaffected.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Qatar briefly ordered personnel to shelter in place but lifted the advisory later in the day.
How has the international community reacted?
The strikes triggered strong condemnation from across West Asia and beyond.
- Saudi Arabia denounced the “brutal Israeli aggression” and expressed full solidarity with Qatar.
- Turkey said the attack showed Israel was uninterested in peace.
- The UAE called it “blatant and cowardly.”
- Iran condemned it as a breach of international law, saying it should serve as a “stark warning” to the entire region and the international community not to remain silent in the face of the Israeli crimes.
- Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif described it as a “most dangerous provocation.”
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned it violated Qatar’s sovereignty.
- Leaders from Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, the Maldives, and the Gulf Cooperation Council also voiced condemnation.
- France’s President Emmanuel Macron called the strikes “unacceptable, whatever the reason may be,” while urging that war must not spread further in the region.
- The UK cautioned against escalation and clarified it had no prior knowledge of the operation.
Source: Al Jazeera
