DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) 鈥 Israel struck the headquarters of Hamas’ political leadership in Qatar on Tuesday as the group’s top figures gathered to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The strike on the territory of a U.S. ally marked a stunning escalation and risked upending talks aimed at winding down the war and freeing hostages.
The attack angered Qatar, an energy-rich Gulf nation hosting thousands of American troops that has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas throughout the 23-month-old war and even before. It condemned what it referred to as a 鈥渇lagrant violation of all international laws and norms” as smoke rose over its capital, Doha. Other key U.S. allies in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, promised their support to Qatar.
The United States said Israel alerted it before the strike. But American officials sought to distance the U.S. from the attack. The White House said President Donald Trump believes the strike was an 鈥渦nfortunate incident鈥 that didn鈥檛 advance peace in the region. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 鈥渕ade his thoughts and concerns very clear.鈥
She also told reporters that Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff passed along a warning to the Qataris. But Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari derided the warning, saying in a post on X that it came just as 鈥渢he explosions from the Israeli strikes were being heard.鈥
Hamas said in a statement its top leaders survived the strike but that five lower-level members were killed, including the son of Khalil al-Hayya 鈥 Hamas’ leader for Gaza and its top negotiator 鈥 three bodyguards, and the head of al-Hayya’s office. Hamas, which has sometimes only confirmed the assassination of its leaders months later, offered no immediate proof that al-Hayya and other senior figures had survived.
A member of Qatar鈥檚 Internal Security Force was also killed and others were wounded, Qatar’s Interior Ministry said.
Hamas has survived numerous assassinations of top leaders and still shows cohesion in Gaza, despite having suffered major blows in Israel’s campaign, triggered by the militant group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The strike threatens to derail as more uncertain, as Israel gears up for . That escalation has been met with heavy international condemnation and opposition within Israel from those who fear it will doom the remaining hostages.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack, saying “all parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it.鈥
Israel had long threatened Hamas in Qatar
Surveillance footage aired by Al Jazeera showed the strike happened in Doha鈥檚 diplomatic quarter at a series of buildings that housed Hamas鈥 political wing. An Egyptian official said the strike came when a meeting by Hamas officials over the talks had been scheduled for the site. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn鈥檛 authorized to talk to reporters.
Israel has long threatened to strike Hamas leaders wherever they are. While it has often welcomed Qatar’s role as a mediator, alongside Egypt, it has also accused the Gulf nation of not putting enough pressure on the group.
In contrast to previous Israeli operations against , Netanyahu was quick to publicly claim the strike, saying: 鈥淚srael initiated it, Israel conducted it and Israel takes full responsibility.”
He said the decision was made Monday after that killed six people and an attack on Israeli forces in Gaza that killed four soldiers.
The Israeli military said it used 鈥減recise munitions and additional intelligence鈥 in the strike, without elaborating. It was not immediately clear how it carried out the attack.
Hamas said the attack showed that Netanyahu and his government 鈥渄o not want to reach any agreement and are deliberately seeking to thwart all opportunities.鈥 It said it also held the United States responsible for the strike.
Qatar condemned what it referred to as a 鈥渃owardly Israeli attack.鈥
Egypt, another key mediator with Hamas, also condemned the attack, saying it targeted Palestinian leaders who had met 鈥渢o discuss ways to reach a ceasefire agreement.鈥 It said the strike was a 鈥渄irect assault鈥 on Qatar鈥檚 sovereignty.
In Israel, the main group representing families of the hostages expressed 鈥渄eep concern and great fear鈥 after the strike. 鈥淭he prospect of their return now faces greater uncertainty than ever, with one thing absolutely certain 鈥 their time is running out,鈥 the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.
Enav Zangauker, whose son Matan is believed to be one of the living hostages, said she was 鈥渟haking with fear.鈥
鈥淚t could be at this very moment the prime minister has actually assassinated my Matan, sealed his fate,鈥 she said. 鈥淲hy does he insist on blowing up every chance for a deal.鈥
Ceasefire negotiations in doubt
Earlier this week, Trump said he was giving his 鈥渓ast warning鈥 to Hamas regarding , as the U.S. advanced a new proposal that Arab officials said included the immediate release of all the hostages.
A senior Hamas official called it a 鈥渉umiliating surrender document,鈥 but the militant group said it would discuss the proposal and respond within days.
The proposal, presented by Witkoff, calls for a negotiated end of the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza once the hostages are released and a ceasefire is established. That’s according to Egyptian and Hamas officials familiar with the talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door discussions.
Hamas has said it will only release the , around 20 of whom are believed to be alive, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Netanyahu has rejected those terms, saying the war will continue until all the hostages are returned and Hamas has been disarmed, with Israel maintaining open-ended security control over Gaza.
Mediators had previously focused on brokering a temporary ceasefire and the release of some hostages, with the two sides then holding talks on a more permanent truce. Witkoff walked away from those talks in July, after which that mediators said was almost identical to an earlier one that Israel had approved.
International outrage
The war in Gaza has already left Israel , with even many of its Western allies calling for it to end the war and do more to address the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, .
Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the United Arab Emirates’ foreign minister, expressed 鈥渇ull solidarity with our dear Qatar” shortly after the attack.
The United Arab Emirates that any move to annex the occupied West Bank would threaten the Abraham Accords, a landmark agreement brokered by Trump during his first term in which the two nations normalized relations.
Trump hopes to expand those accords to include regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia, but those prospects have dimmed as the war has ground on.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman described the strike as a 鈥渃riminal act and a flagrant violation of international law” in a phone call with Qatar’s ruler.
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Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo, and Aamer Madhani, Darlene Superville and Konstantin Toropin in Washington, contributed.
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