Desk Report,
Israeli airstrikes target Hamas leaders in Qatar
Israel launched an airstrike on Tuesday targeting leaders of the Palestinian independence group Hamas in the Qatari capital Doha. Qatar condemned the attack as “cowardly” and a “clear violation of international law.” Israel acknowledged the attack. Hamas said no one was killed.
Israeli airstrikes target Hamas leaders in Qatar
Two Hamas sources told Reuters that the Palestinian group’s leaders were discussing the latest ceasefire proposal proposed by the United States at the time of the attack. Among those present were Hamas’s exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator, Khalid al-Hayya.
Witnesses said multiple explosions were heard in Doha. Black smoke was seen rising from the city’s Legitifiya petrol station. There is a small residential neighborhood near the petrol station, where the explosion also occurred. The Qatari Emir’s Guard has been guarding the neighborhood 24 hours a day since the start of Israel’s invasion of Gaza in 2023. About an hour after the explosion, at least 15 police and government vehicles, including ambulances, gathered on the road around the explosion site. However, it was not confirmed exactly when the attack took place yesterday.
According to a report by Middle East Eye, at least 12 airstrikes were carried out. Smoke was seen rising from Doha’s Qatari district after the attacks.
As of yesterday afternoon local time, Israel is suspected of having attacked at least five Arab countries in the previous 24 hours, except for the Palestinian Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. The countries are Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen and Qatar. Since the start of the war, Israel has been attacking the rest of the countries except Qatar and Tunisia almost regularly. Since the start of the Gaza war, there have been two rounds of reciprocal attacks between Israel and Iran.
But analysts consider yesterday’s Israeli attack on Qatar to be unprecedented. Because Israel has not attacked any country in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) so far. The GCC countries are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. The countries are close allies of the United States and Israel’s tested allies in international affairs.
The largest US air base in the Middle East is located in Qatar. This air base, called Al Udeid, has more than 8,000 US military personnel and officers. It is the regional headquarters of the US Central Command in the Middle East. Although the US has not officially said anything about whether the US was informed before yesterday’s attack, there have been various statements. A White House official told AFP on condition of anonymity that they were informed before the attack. Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 also reported similar news. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We attacked Qatar independently. I ordered this attack. This attack was carried out yesterday afternoon.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described Israel’s attack as a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Maldives, among others, have condemned Israel’s attack on Qatar.
Israel’s nearly two-year war in Gaza has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians, 83 percent of whom were civilians. The enclave has been reduced to rubble. Despite this, Israel has recently launched a new offensive to completely capture Gaza City in the enclave. Along with Egypt, Qatar has been mediating in ending this brutal war since the beginning.
Like other Palestinian leaders, Israel has been targeting and killing Hamas’ top leaders for a long time. In this situation, Hamas moved its political office headquarters to Doha, Qatar, since 2007. Their top political leaders used to live there. The group’s top leader Ismail Haniyeh also lived there for a long time. He was assassinated by Israel in Tehran, the capital of Iran, on July 31, 2024.
