DOHA: Israel’s military confirmed conducting strikes targeting senior Hamas leaders in Qatar on Tuesday.
Qatar strongly condemned the attack on buildings housing members of the Palestinian militant movement’s political bureau in its capital city.
The Israeli military stated these Hamas leaders had directed the organisation’s operations and were directly responsible for the October 7, 2023 massacre.
Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari called it a “cowardly Israeli attack” targeting residential buildings housing Hamas political bureau members.
A Hamas official in Gaza told AFP the group’s negotiators had been “targeted” during the strikes in Doha.
An AFP video journalist in Doha witnessed a plume of smoke rising from behind a low-rise building following the attack.
The strikes occurred less than two weeks after Israel’s armed forces chief vowed to target the group’s leaders based abroad.
Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir had stated on August 31 that “most of Hamas’s leadership is abroad, and we will reach them as well”.
Iran, a key Hamas backer, condemned the attack as a “gross violation of all international rules and regulations”.
The Iranian statement called it a violation of Qatar’s national sovereignty and an attack on Palestinian negotiators.
The US embassy in Doha advised American citizens to shelter-in-place and monitor its social media for updates.
Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar wrote on X: “May all your enemies perish, Israel”.
Qatar has led multiple rounds of ceasefire efforts alongside the United States and Egypt since the war began.
The attack coincided with Israel intensifying its assault on Gaza City, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning residents to evacuate.
Netanyahu described current operations as “just a prelude” to the main intensified ground manoeuvre into Gaza City. – AFP
