Israeli strike in Doha targets Hamas delegation, killing 5 members

The Palestinian militant group Hamas has accused Israel of attempting to assassinate its negotiating team in Qatar, after a deadly air strike hit the Gulf state’s capital on Tuesday.

In a statement, Hamas confirmed that five of its members were killed in the explosions, which struck a residential compound in Doha where senior officials had gathered to discuss the latest US-backed ceasefire proposal for the Gaza Strip.

The group claimed that while the assault caused significant damage, the attempt to kill its negotiators “failed.”

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the operation, declaring it “fully justified.” He said the strike had targeted senior Hamas figures allegedly involved in planning the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel that ignited the ongoing war in Gaza.

“Those who orchestrated the massacre of our people will never be safe, no matter where they hide,” Netanyahu said in a televised address.

Qatar, which has hosted delicate ceasefire and hostage-release negotiations for months, strongly condemned the attack.

Its foreign ministry denounced the bombing as “cowardly” and a “flagrant violation of international law.”

Officials warned that the strike endangered Qatar’s role as a mediator and represented an unacceptable breach of its sovereignty.

The Qatari interior ministry confirmed that one member of the country’s Internal Security Force was killed in the blasts, while several others sustained injuries. The ministry notably did not acknowledge the Hamas casualties.

The attack marks a dramatic escalation in Israel’s campaign against Hamas, extending the battlefield into one of the Middle East’s most influential diplomatic hubs.

Doha has long served as a base for the group’s political leadership and has played a central role in international negotiations to end the Gaza war, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

Regional analysts warned that the strike could complicate ongoing peace efforts. “Hitting Hamas inside Qatar is unprecedented,” said one Gulf political observer.

“It raises serious questions about whether negotiations can continue in Doha, and whether Qatar will remain willing to act as a mediator.”

The United States, which has worked closely with Qatar in brokering talks, has yet to issue a formal response. However, diplomats privately expressed concern that the strike could derail the latest ceasefire proposal, which had been under review by Hamas leaders at the time of the attack.

As night fell over Doha, security forces sealed off the bombed compound, and ambulances rushed casualties to nearby hospitals. Hamas vowed retaliation, while Qatar demanded international accountability.

Whether the incident will collapse the fragile path to a Gaza ceasefire remains uncertain—but it underscores the widening scope of a war that shows no signs of abating.