Israel’s military launched a strike targeting senior Hamas leaders on Tuesday, prompting condemnation from Qatar over its assault on residential buildings housing members of the Palestinian militant group in the capital, Doha, reports 24brussels.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the Israeli strikes, stating that residential buildings accommodating several members of Hamas’s political bureau were directly attacked. A Hamas official in Gaza confirmed that the group’s negotiators were “targeted” in Doha.
A video journalist in Doha observed a plume of smoke rising from the vicinity of a low-rise building following the strikes. The Israeli military stated, “For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organisation’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal 7 October [2023] massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel.”
This military action comes less than two weeks after Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, the chief of Israel’s armed forces, announced his intention to target Hamas leaders based abroad. “Most of Hamas’s leadership is abroad, and we will reach them as well,” he asserted on 31 August.
‘Gross violation’
Alongside the United States and Egypt, Qatar has played a crucial role in mediating various efforts to cease the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, initiated by the unprecedented 7 October 2023 assault by Palestinian militants. Despite achieving two temporary truces, negotiations have repeatedly failed to yield a lasting resolution.
Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar expressed aggressive sentiments on social media, stating, “May all your enemies perish, Israel,” while the U.S. embassy in Qatar urged American citizens to shelter in place and stay updated via their social media platforms.
In response, Iran, a prominent supporter of Hamas, labeled the attack a “gross violation of all international rules and regulations,” denouncing it as an infringement on Qatar’s national sovereignty as well as a direct assault on Palestinian negotiators.
This strike coincided with an intensified Israeli military campaign in Gaza City, the largest urban center in Palestinian territories. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to residents: “I say to the residents: you have been warned, leave now!” He characterized the operation as a precursor to a more significant ground maneuver by Israeli forces preparing for entry into Gaza City.
(vib)
