Israeli Airstrike in Qatar Targets Hamas Leaders

Sat Sep 13 2025 05:12:59 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

An Israeli airstrike in Doha, Qatar, aimed at senior Hamas leaders has drawn condemnation from Qatar and international warnings regarding sovereignty and safety.

An Israeli military operation executed an airstrike on residential buildings in Doha, Qatar, purportedly targeting Hamas leaders involved in the planning of attacks against Israel. The strike, described as a violation of Qatar's sovereignty by authorities, has intensified discussions around the ongoing Gaza conflict and hostage negotiations. Israeli officials assert responsibility for the operation, claiming it targets accountable Hamas figures following a recent conflict declaration.

Israel has carried out a strike targeting the senior leadership of Hamas in Qatar's capital, Doha.

A Hamas official told the BBC that members of the Palestinian armed group's negotiating team were targeted during a meeting. It was not clear whether any of them were killed, but photos showed a badly damaged building in the northern Katara district.

The Israeli military accused the Hamas leaders of being directly responsible for the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel and of orchestrating the ensuing war in Gaza.

Qatar strongly condemned what it called the cowardly Israeli attack that targeted residential buildings housing several members of the political bureau of Hamas. This criminal assault constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms, and poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar, a foreign ministry statement said.

The Gulf state - a key US ally in the region that is the location of a major American air base - has hosted the Hamas political bureau since 2012 and has served as a mediator in indirect negotiations between the group and Israel.

The UN Secretary General António Guterres also condemned the strike, saying it was a flagrant violation of Qatar's sovereignty.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office emphasized that this action against the top terrorist chiefs of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation. Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility, a statement said.

A senior Israeli official reported that those targeted included Khalil al-Hayya, the chief negotiator and exiled Gaza leader, and Zaher Jabarin, the exiled West Bank leader. The official stated, We are awaiting the results of the strike. There is a consensus among the political and security leadership.

On Monday, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had warned Hamas leaders living abroad that they faced annihilation if they did not release hostages and lay down their arms. The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which resulted in about 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages taken. Since then, at least 64,605 people have reportedly been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to its Hamas-run health ministry.