The BRICS TimesHamas’ exiled leaders have been based in Qatar, which has acted as mediator in Israel talks well before the Gaza conflict
Multiple blasts shook Doha, the capital of Qatar, on Tuesday, in what was reported as an Israeli strike against senior members of Palestinian group Hamas. Several leaders were present in the Gulf city either as residents or for ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
According to an Israeli channel quoting unnamed officials, it was Donald Trump who “gave the green light” to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration for the strike. Netanyahu wrote on X: “Israel initiated it, Israel carried it out and Israel takes full responsibility.”
Senior figures of the Palestinian movement had gathered in Doha after Trump’s peace call. The Hamas delegation was said to be discussing his proposal on a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of hostages, as reported by Al Arabiya.
Details regarding casualties remain unclear, but Israeli outlets indicated that Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin were among those targeted. Both are among Hamas’ five current senior heads, alongside Khaled Mashal, Muhammad Ismail Darwish, and another unnamed leader, after Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israel last year.
For years, Hamas’ leadership in exile has been hosted in Qatar, which has consistently played a mediating role between Hamas and Israel, long before the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Analysts suggest the strike could complicate current ceasefire negotiations in Gaza while Israel continues clearing residents from affected areas.
Earlier this week, Trump issued what he called a “last warning” to Hamas for accepting a truce. One senior Hamas leader dismissed the proposal as a “humiliating surrender document”, but confirmed discussions were ongoing.
The plan, put forward by Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, sought an end to the conflict through talks, with Israeli forces withdrawing from Gaza once hostages were freed and a ceasefire established. This was confirmed by Egyptian and Hamas officials, according to an AP report.
Qatar strongly condemned the incident, calling it “cowardly”. Spokesman Majed al-Ansari described it as a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms.” Previously, Qatar’s Al-Udeid Air Base, housing US forces, was hit during the Iran-Israel conflict that lasted twelve days and also saw US bombers target Iranian nuclear facilities.
The Israeli military declined to share immediate details but stated: “For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.”
The military also claimed they acted to minimize civilian harm by using precision weapons and additional intelligence before carrying out the attack.
