An Israeli strike in Doha on Saturday struck a meeting of Hamas figures living in the Qatari capital, killing several aides to a senior Hamas official, wounding others and prompting sharp condemnation from Qatar that US officials did not warn of the attack.
Qatar’s government described the strike as "state terrorism" and said it received no advance warning from the United States. The Qatari prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, said the first call from an American official came about 10 minutes after the attack began.
Hamas said the attack had missed its intended targets, including the movement’s exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator, Khalil al‑Hayya. Independent confirmation of Hayya’s condition and whereabouts was not available. One Palestinian source outside Gaza told reporters that Hayya was critically injured and not expected to survive; that report could not be independently verified. Among the dead were reported to be Hayya’s son, the head of his office and three bodyguards.
The strike struck a residential area of Doha where embassies and foreign missions sit behind high walls. Witnesses described sudden, powerful blasts and streets emptied as people fled. "The noise was so loud my heart was pumping," one 42‑year‑old who asked not to be named told the BBC. "I thought the world was going to end. I heard five rockets, and I ran away. Many people were running. Normally nothing happens here." Media reports said Israeli officials codenamed the operation "Judgement Day." A police presence near the damaged building prevented reporters from approaching closely.
Hamas figures in Doha were reported uncontactable after the strike, with phones switched off. The group has maintained a political presence in Qatar since 2012, and Doha hosts a significant U.S. military presence and plays a recognized mediator role in past Gaza negotiations. Analysts and diplomats said the attack risked undermining any immediate prospects for a ceasefire in Gaza by demonstrating that Israel appeared willing to strike Hamas leadership even on the territory of a key Western ally.
The strike also drew a sharp diplomatic reaction from Doha. Qatari officials said they were enraged by the operation and emphasised that they had not been alerted in advance. The BBC reported that the incident had provoked anger from U.S. President Donald Trump, increasing pressure on Washington to clarify its knowledge of or role in the strike.
Israeli officials have not publicly confirmed details of the operation or its objectives. Hamas insisted its negotiating team survived and said the strike had failed to achieve its aims. The uncertainty over the fate of senior figures, coupled with the death of aides and bodyguards, raised questions about the future of ongoing efforts to secure pauses or agreements in the Gaza conflict.
Diplomats and regional officials said the strike represented a significant recalibration of previously assumed red lines, noting that an attack on Qatari soil had been widely regarded as unlikely. If confirmed, the operation may complicate Qatar’s role as an intermediary and heighten tensions across the Middle East as governments assess potential ramifications for regional stability.
For residents of the Doha neighbourhood near the blast, the strike marked a striking departure from recent daily life. Streets that once saw routine traffic and the movement of diplomatic staff were quiet as people reconsidered their movements and security. The full diplomatic fallout and the human toll among the targeted group remain under investigation as governments and mediators seek further information and clarification.