On Tuesday, Israeli airstrikes targeted senior leaders of Hamas in Qatar, a key ally of the United States and a frequent host of Gaza peace talks, leading to a rare reprimand from President Donald Trump. The Palestinian militant group reported that six individuals lost their lives in the strikes, including the son of a top negotiator, although their senior leaders survived. Additionally, Qatar reported the death of one of its security officers.
The White House expressed that President Trump disagreed with Israel’s decision to conduct military operations on Qatari soil and had attempted to forewarn Qatar about the strikes. Nevertheless, Qatar, which hosts a significant U.S. military base, claimed it did not receive the warning until the attack was already happening. Qatar condemned the strikes targeting homes of Hamas’s political bureau members in the Gulf nation, where the group’s leadership is situated.
The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, justified the strikes as retaliation for a deadly shooting in Jerusalem claimed by Hamas. Despite this, Trump’s administration labeled the action as counterproductive to the goals of the United States and Israel, viewing Qatar as a valuable ally. This incident marked the first Israeli airstrike in Qatar, escalating tensions significantly.
The international response included condemnation from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and leaders like France’s President Emmanuel Macron and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, highlighting concerns over violations of sovereignty and the risks to ongoing hostage negotiations. Meanwhile, Netanyahu suggested that a peace proposal from Trump could immediately end the conflict if accepted by Hamas, although analysts caution that the strikes have likely hindered any truce efforts.