KEY POINTS
- Hamas says its leaders survived an Israeli strike in Doha that killed six, including Khalil al-Hayya’s son.
- Israel confirms the strike on Hamas leadership, but did not specify the location.
- Qatar condemns the attack as a “cowardly” violation of sovereignty and vows investigations.
- White House says it had informed Qatar of an impending Israeli strike on Doha.
- Qatar denies receiving advance warning from the US of Israeli strikes.
- The UN calls the Israeli attack a “flagrant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty.
- The strike marks the first Israeli operation in Qatar amid an intensified Gaza offensive.
GAZA CITY, Palestine: Hamas said on Tuesday that the Palestinian group’s senior leaders survived an Israeli strike in Doha which killed six people, including the son of Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya, one of his aides, and a Qatari officer. The Palestinian group accused Israel of seeking to derail the ceasefire and prisoner exchange talks.
“This once again reveals the criminal nature of the occupation and its desire to undermine any chances of reaching an agreement,” Hamas said in a statement cited by Al Jazeera.
Member of Hamas’s political bureau Suhail al-Hindi confirmed that the leadership survived the attack, though he said it was an attempt to assassinate al-Hayya and other negotiators.
The Israeli military said it carried out a “precise strike” against Hamas’s senior leadership, without specifying the location.
Explosions and plumes of smoke were witnessed over the Qatari capital on Tuesday, AFP reported, while Qatar’s Interior Ministry confirmed that a residential building housing Hamas leaders had been hit but insisted the situation was under control.
The Israeli military said it targeted senior Hamas leaders on Tuesday. “The IDF (Israeli military) and ISA (security agency) conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of Hamas,” the military said, without specifying where the strike took place.
A senior Hamas source, cited by Al Jazeera, said that leaders of the Palestinian group have been targeted in Doha while discussing US President Donald Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.
White House says it warned Qatar of Israeli strike
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the Trump administration was notified by the US military about Israel’s strike in Doha and sought to warn Qatar.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” she said.
Leavitt said that Trump “immediately directed” Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform Qatar of the impending attack.
However, Qatar denied receiving advance warning from the US of Israeli strikes, saying the notification came after the attack had already started.
“Statements circulating about Qatar being informed of the attack in advance are false. The call received from an American official came as explosions sounded from the Israeli attack in Doha,” Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari posted on X.
ما يتم تداوله من تصريحات حول أنه تم إبلاغ دولة قطر بالهجوم مسبقاً عارية عن الصحة، الاتصال الذي ورد من قبل أحد المسؤولين الأمريكين جاء خلال سماع دوي صوت الانفجارات الناتجة عن الهجوم الإسرائيلي في الدوحة.
— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) September 9, 2025
The White House spokesperson said US President Donald Trump did not agree with Israel’s choice to conduct strikes against Hamas inside Qatar.
“The president views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of this attack,” she added.
Qatar condemned the attack and said Israeli strikes targeted residential buildings housing Hamas political bureau members residing in the Gulf country.
A White House official, cited by AFP, said Israel notified the United States before it carried out air strikes in Doha.
“We were informed in advance,” the official told AFP on condition of anonymity about the strike on Qatar.
Member of Hamas’s political bureau Suhail al-Hindi, cited by Al Jazeera, said that the Palestinian group’s leadership survived the attack.
“The attack in Doha targeted Hamas and Qatar primarily, but it is an aggression on all Arabs, Muslims and free people across the world,” Al-Hindi said as cited by Al Jazeera.
Al-Hindi said the Israeli attempt to kill Khalil al-Hayya and other Hamas leaders who were meeting to discuss Trump’s ceasefire proposal had failed. But the attack killed al-Hayya’s son, Humam, and one of his top aides, al-Hindi said.
‘The situation is safe’
Qatar’s Interior Ministry said the sounds heard in Doha earlier “were the result of an attack on a Hamas residential headquarters”.
“The ministry confirms that specialised teams are working [at the scene], and the situation is safe, and calls on everyone to obtain information from official sources,” the interior ministry said in a social media post.
Explosions were heard and smoke was seen rising above the Qatari capital on Tuesday, AFP reported, though the nature of the incident was not clear.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority, citing a senior Israeli official, has reported that the explosions were the result of an attack against senior Hamas officials, Al Jazeera reported.
According to Al Jazeera, the site that was targeted by Israel in Doha is close to a residential neighbourhood, not an isolated area.
Qatar slams ‘cowardly’ Israeli attack
Spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry Majed Al Ansari said in a statement that the country “condemns in the strongest terms” the attack, which he said was carried out on residential buildings housing several members of the Hamas political bureau.
“This criminal attack constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar,” the statement reads.
“While strongly condemning this attack, the State of Qatar affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and its continued tampering with regional security, as well as any action targeting its security and sovereignty. Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they become available.”
The State of Qatar strongly condemns the cowardly Israeli attack that targeted residential buildings housing several members of the Political Bureau of Hamas in the Qatari capital, Doha. This criminal assault constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms,…
— د. ماجد محمد الأنصاري Dr. Majed Al Ansari (@majedalansari) September 9, 2025
The Hamas delegation was in Doha and had been meeting to discuss the latest US proposal to bring a cessation of hostilities, as the Israeli forces have been pushing forward a plan to seize Gaza City.
A senior Hamas official, cited by CNN, confirmed that the Palestinian group’s negotiators were targeted in Doha.
On Monday, Hamas’ chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Doha.
The attack appears to mark the first time Israel has launched an operation in Qatar.
Tuesday’s strikes come less than two weeks after Israel’s armed forces chief vowed to target the Palestinian group’s leaders based abroad.
“Most of Hamas’s leadership is abroad, and we will reach them as well,” Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said on August 31.
‘Gross violation’
Along with the United States and Egypt, Qatar has led multiple rounds of efforts to end the ongoing Israeli bombardment campaign in Gaza.
Despite sealing two temporary truces, the successive rounds of talks have failed to bring a lasting end to the war.
“May all your enemies perish, Israel,” Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar wrote on X on Tuesday.
“U.S. citizens are advised to shelter-in-place and monitor @USEmbassyDoha social media for updates,” the US embassy posted on X.
We have seen reports of missile strikes occurring in Doha. The U.S. Embassy has instituted a shelter-in-place order for their facilities. U.S. citizens are advised to shelter-in-place and monitor @USEmbassyDoha social media for updates.
— U.S. Embassy in Qatar (@USEmbassyDoha) September 9, 2025
Iran condemned the attack as a “gross violation of all international rules and regulations, a violation of Qatar’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and an attack on Palestinian negotiators”.
The attack came as Israel stepped up a deadly assault on Gaza City, the Palestinian territory’s largest urban centre.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a video statement addressing residents of the city: “I say to the residents: you have been warned, leave now!
“All of this is just a prelude, just the opening, to the main intensified operation — the ground manoeuvre of our forces, who are now organising and assembling to enter Gaza City,” he said.
‘Israel takes full responsibility’
The office of the Israeli prime minister said that Israel acted alone in its attack on Doha.
Today’s action against the top leadership of Hamas was a “wholly independent Israeli operation,” Netanyahu’s office said in a social media post.
“Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility,” the statement added.
World reacts to Israeli attacks
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called the air raids a “flagrant violation” of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar.
Guterres added that all parties to the Gaza war must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, rather than destroy the prospect of one.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the “unlawful and heinous bombing” in Doha by Israeli forces.
“On behalf of the people and Government of Pakistan as well as on my own behalf, I strongly condemn the unlawful and heinous bombing in Doha by Israeli forces, targeting a residential area, and endangering the lives of innocent civilians.”
In a statement on X, PM Sharif expressed sympathies and solidarity with the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the people of Qatar.
“This act of aggression by Israel is totally unjustified, a brazen violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar, and constitutes a most dangerous provocation that could imperil regional peace and stability. Pakistan stands firmly with the State of Qatar, as well as with the people of Palestine against Israel’s aggression,” PM Sharif said in a post on X.
On behalf of the people and Government of Pakistan as well as on my own behalf, I strongly condemn the unlawful and heinous bombing in Doha by Israeli forces, targeting a residential area, and endangering the lives of innocent civilians. Our deepest sympathies and solidarity are…
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) September 9, 2025
Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry said the attack violated “all international laws and norms”, adding that “we renew our position calling for the Security Council to assume its responsibilities in maintaining international security”.
Jordan said it considered Israel’s aggression a “serious threat to the security of the Qatari people”.
“We stand with our brothers in Qatar and fully support them in any steps they take against the aggression,” it said.
Iraq’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly act”, and expressing “full support” for Qatar to confront any aggression.
Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu strongly condemned the “cowardly” Israeli attack, calling it “a serious violation of international law and is a blatant infringement on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a sovereign nation”.
Turkiye’s Foreign Ministry has condemned Israel’s strike on Qatar, saying it shows that Israel is not interested in an agreement to end the war.
“The targeting of the Hamas negotiating delegation while ceasefire talks continue shows that Israel does not aim to reach peace, but rather continue the war,” the ministry said in a statement.
“This situation is clear proof that Israel has adopted its expansionist policies in the region and terrorism as a state policy.”
Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas condemned Israeli air strikes and warned they threatened regional security and stability.
“His excellency stated that the brutal Israeli attack on Qatar constitutes a blatant violation of international law and an escalation that threatens regional security and stability,” Abbas’s office said in a statement reported by the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Israel’s air strikes on Doha were unacceptable, whatever the reasoning behind them might be.
The strikes “are unacceptable regardless of motive”, Macron wrote on X, adding that “the war must not be allowed to spread in the region”.
Today's Israeli strikes on Qatar are unacceptable, whatever the reason. I express my solidarity with Qatar and its Emir, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani. Under no circumstances should the war spread throughout the region.
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) September 9, 2025
