Israel bombs Hamas negotiators in Qatar capital Doha

Israel has attacked targets in the Qatari capital of Doha on Sep. 9, in what it claims was a targeted attack on Hamas leaders in the city.

Explosions heard in Doha

Al Jazeera and Reuters have reported that Israel’s military has said that they were responsible for explosions in the Qatari capital of Doha.

Al Jazeera added that Israel’s military has said that the explosions were the result of an assassination attempt against the top leadership of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Qatar is known to house several Hamas leaders, and is one of the key mediators in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.

A spokesperson for the Israeli Defence Forces said on Sep. 9 that “the members of the leadership who were attacked led the terrorist organisations' activities for years”, and accused them of being “directly responsible” for the Oct. 7 attacks in 2023.

It further said that “steps were taken to minimise harm to uninvolved people” by using precision weapons and additional intelligence.

Criminal attack

A spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack “in the strongest terms”, and said that “this criminal attack constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms”.

They also called the threat a “serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar.”

The spokesperson said that several residences housing members of Hamas’s political bureau were targeted.

Reuters reported that Israeli media was reporting that one of the targets in the attacks was Khalil al-Hayya, who was identified as Hamas’s Gaza Chief and top negotiator.

It also reported that Israel’s targets in the attack were Hamas’s ceasefire negotiators.

Top image via AFP