Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Doha draws international condemnation – a recap

Israel carried out a strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday afternoon.

Israeli media reported the strike was carried out using 15 Israeli fighter jets, firing 10 munitions against a single target. Witnesses in Doha said they heard as many as eight separate explosions.

Hamas said five of its members were killed but claims its top leadership survived.

What have Israel, Qatar and Hamas said about the attack

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was “fully justified” because it targeted senior Hamas leaders who organised the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war.

Hamas said the strike was “a heinous crime, a blatant aggression, and a flagrant violation of all international norms and laws”.

Qatar said the attack was a “blatant violation” of international laws, as well as being a “serious threat” to those in Qatar.

The international reaction

US President Donald Trump said “we are not thrilled about the way that went down today.” He said he found out about the attack from the US military as the strikes were underway. He also said that eliminating Hamas “is a worthy goal.”

The leaders of the UK, France and the UN have condemned the attack.

Where in Qatar did Israel strike?

Witnesses in Doha said they heard as many as eight separate explosions on Tuesday afternoon, with plumes of smoke rising above the city’s northern Katara district.

What we know about the strike, and where does it leave Gaza peace talks

Israel has carried out an air strike on a residential compound in Doha that Hamas said killed five of its members, but “failed” to assassinate its negotiating team that was meeting to discuss the latest US proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

What happens next?

This is the second time in three months that Qatar has found itself on the receiving end of incoming missiles, the other being Iran’s token attack in June on the US airbase at al-Udeid, just outside Doha.

With Qatar being a key mediator between Israel and Hamas, it’s now unclear how this latest strike will impact ceasefire negotiations between the two sides going forward, with the faltering talks having come to a halt.