Israel attacked residential complexes in Doha’s Legtaifiya, killing five Hamas members and an Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) officer on Tuesday afternoon.
Plumes of smoke rose in the Qatari capital shortly after multiple explosions were heard as Israel targeted members of the Palestinian movement’s political bureau, an act described by Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs as a “treacherous” one.
Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had assumed full responsibility for the attack after the Israeli occupation forces’ confirmation that a “precise strike targeting the senior leadership of Hamas” was carried out.
A series of global and regional condemnations followed, and U.S. President Donald Trump and Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held a phone call later on to discuss the attack, according to Qatar’s Amiri Diwan.
Here’s all the development since the attack:
Israeli attacks derail ongoing talks, undermine Qatar’s efforts, says PM-FM
Israel’s actions on Tuesday have derailed the ongoing talks over the ceasefire proposal submitted by the U.S. and undermined the Gulf country’s efforts to secure lasting peace, Qatar’s PM-FM said during his address.
“Qatar will do whatever it can to stop this war […] but regarding the current talks, I don’t think there is anything valid right now when we see such attacks,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
“Qatari diplomacy is not built on the actions of a state like Israel or on taking sides; it is built on promoting regional stability.”
He added that Qatar had discussed Tuesday’s attacks with “brotherly and sisterly countries” and that future measures will be announced later.
[Posted 11:25 PM]
Qatar’s PM-FM slams Netanyahu
In addition to strong condemnations, Sheikh Mohammed slammed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for attacking the Hamas delegation present in Doha for the latest round of negotiations.
“Which moral standards accept such an attack? This can only be described as a betrayal. Betrayal is natural from such a person [Netanyahu],” Sheikh Mohammed said.
“Netanyahu said that he will reshape the Middle East, but does this message mean he will also reshape the Gulf region?”
[Posted 11:17 PM]
Qatar PM provides further details on Israeli strikes on Doha
Qatari authorities only found out about the “treacherous” attacks after they were carried out on Tuesday, according to Sheikh Mohammed.
“The Israeli enemy used weapons that the radars were unable to detect,” he said.
“Our official channels with the U.S. were notified within 10 minutes of the attack.”
[Posted 11:15 PM]
Qatar reserves right to respond, legal measures to be taken against Israel, says Qatar PM-FM
Qatar’s PM-FM said his country reserves the right to respond to Israel’s attack on its territory, addressing the Israeli attack on Doha targeting Hamas members on Tuesday afternoon.
“We have formed a legal team to take legal measures in response to the attack,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
Describing Israeli actions as ones intended to sabotage the ongoing peace negotiations, the Qatari PM posed several questions about Israel’s intentions.
“Does the international community need another message to know who the actual bully of the region is?”
[Posted 11:05 PM]
Qatari Prime Minister to speak soon
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, is scheduled to hold a press conference in Doha shortly following Israel’s attack on the country.
Doha News’ senior journalist Asmahan Qarjouli will be providing live updates from the Amiri Diwan Annex in Msheireb.
[Posted 10:30 PM]
Qatar says Trump condemned Israeli attack in call with Amir
Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, received a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump, who voiced strong solidarity with Qatar and condemned the attack on its sovereignty.
According to the Amiri Diwan, Trump stressed that diplomatic solutions were essential to resolve regional disputes and praised Qatar’s mediation efforts, calling the country a trusted strategic ally of the United States. He urged Doha to continue its role in efforts to end the war in Gaza.
The Amir condemned what he described as a reckless criminal attack, calling it a blatant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and international law, and held Israel responsible for its consequences. He urged the international community to assume its legal and moral responsibilities and hold those responsible accountable.
The Amir also affirmed that Qatar will take all necessary measures to protect its security and sovereignty, while continuing its constructive role in supporting just humanitarian causes and promoting international peace.
[Posted 10:23]
UN Secretary-General condemns Israel’s attack
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, condemned Israel’s attack on Qatar on Tuesday, slamming it as “a clear violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
Guterres, in a press conference, also underscored Qatar’s “positive role” in previously achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of captives.
“Everyone must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it,” he added.
[Posted 9:57 PM]
Trump assured Qatar’s Amir and P.M. that attacks won’t be repeated: White House
The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump spoke with the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, assuring them that the Israeli attack on Doha would not be repeated.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar — a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States — working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace, does not advance Israel or the U.S.’ goals,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a press briefing.
“However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal,” Leavitt added.
[Posted 9:49 PM]
Qatar slams claims of prior warning of Israeli strikes as ‘baseless’
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied reports that it received prior warning of Israel’s attack on the Hamas political office in Doha, calling such claims “baseless.”
Dr Majed Al-Ansari, advisor to the Prime Minister and official spokesman for the ministry, made the statement following White House claims that U.S. President Donald Trump had asked his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to inform Qatar in advance.
Al-Ansari added that the communication from a U.S. official was received amid the sound of explosions during the Israeli strike.
[Posted 9:20 PM]
Qatari Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) officer killed by Israel
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior has announced that the explosions heard across various parts of Doha on Tuesday afternoon were the result of an Israeli attack targeting residential premises housing several members of the Political Bureau of Hamas in the Qatari capital.
“The assault resulted in the martyrdom of Sergeant Badr Saad Mohammed Al-Humaidi Al-Dosari from the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) while he was performing his duties at the targeted site in addition to a number of other injuries among security personnel,” the statement said.
Here’s the full statement in Arabic:
[Posted 08:10 PM]
‘Illegal criminal act’: Dutch footballer slams Israeli attack
Netherlands forward Anwar El Ghazi has slammed the Israeli attack in Qatar’s capital as one of Israel’s “illegal criminal acts” without any regard for human life or international law and order.
El Ghazi said he was in Doha when Israel carried out the strikes on Tuesday afternoon.
The Dutchman has continued to voice solidarity for the Palestinian cause and had his contract with German club Mainz 05 terminated in October 2023 over his pro-Palestinian posts.
“If this is what they can do with impunity in a sovereign state like Qatar, then imagine the decades long cruelty and oppression they have been inflicting against defenceless Palestinian civilians and children,” El Ghazi wrote on X.
[Posted 7:51 PM]
U.S. confirms it was made aware before Israeli strikes
White House officials have confirmed to Al Jazeera that Washington was informed of Israel’s operation targeting Hamas’s officials in the group’s political office in Doha.
[Posted 7:39 PM]
Five Hamas members killed in Israeli strikes
Five people were killed in Israel’s strike on the group’s political office in Doha on Tuesday, sources have confirmed.
The casualties include Humam Khalil al-Hayya, the son of senior political bureau leader Khalil al-Hayya, and chief of al-Hayya’s staff, Jihad Lubad.
Three others, identified as Abdullah Abdulwahid Abu Khalil, Moamen Hassouna Abu Omar, and Ahmed Abdelmalek Abu Malek, all assistants, were also killed in the attack.
[Posted 7:19 PM]
Gas station, embassies and schools in proximity to Israel’s strikes
Israel’s strike in Doha was in proximity to a gas station, international embassies and schools, Doha News can confirm after geo-locating several pieces of footage from the incident.
“This all happened in the middle of the afternoon, when schools are ending and children engaging in extracurricular activities,” disinformation expert and Northwestern Qatar professor Marc Owen Jones writes on X.
Here’s how the area looks on Google Maps:
[Posted 7:16 PM]
CCTV footage captures Israel’s strike in Doha
CCTV footage showing the moment Israel attacked in Doha’s Legtaifiya area has now emerged. The attack targeted a building that housed members of Hamas’s political bureau.
[Posted 6:50 PM]
Strong regional and global reactions pour in
Reactions from world leaders and regional states have strongly condemned Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, denouncing the attack as a blatant violation of sovereignty, international law, and regional stability.
Here are major reactions so far:
[Posted 6:41 PM]
Situation under control after Israeli attacks, says Qatar
Qatar’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that the loud explosions heard in Doha were the result of an attack targeting the residential headquarters of the Hamas movement.
The ministry said security teams are responding, the situation is under control, and urged the public to rely on official sources for information.
[Posted 5:46 PM]
Assassination attempt in Doha given green light by Trump: Israeli media
Israeli media reported that the United States’ President Donald Trump had granted Israel the green light to carry out the assassination attempt of Hamas’s political members in Qatar on Tuesday.
The attack came following numerous threats against Hamas by the U.S. and Israel in an attempt to pressure the Palestinian group to agree to a deal.
Hamas had agreed to the proposal presented by the mediators, the U.S. and Egypt, on August 18, which Israel did not respond to.
[Posted 5:45 PM]
U.S. embassy in Qatar orders citizens to shelter in place
The U.S. embassy in Doha instructed American citizens to remain indoors on Tuesday after Israeli strikes targeted Hamas officials in the capital. In a statement posted on X, the embassy said it had “instituted a shelter-in-place order” for its facilities, urging US nationals to do the same.
[Posted 5:43 PM]
Netanyahu confirms attacking Qatar
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was behind Tuesday’s attack on residential buildings housing Hamas’s political bureau in Doha, declaring it had initiated the strike and takes full responsibility.
The attack shook the Qatari capital and came despite ongoing mediation efforts involving Doha, Washington and Cairo to secure the captives’ release and an end to the war in Gaza.
[Posted 5:40 PM]
Hamas delegation led by Khalil al-Hayya ‘survives Israeli assassination attempt’
Sources told Al Jazeera the Hamas negotiating team, headed by Dr Khalil al-Hayya, had escaped an Israeli strike in the Qatari capital.
[Posted 5:35 PM]
Qatar Airways says operations unaffected by Israeli attack
Qatar Airways has confirmed that its operations remain unaffected following Israel’s strikes on Hamas leaders in Doha. The airline emphasised that there have been no disruptions and reassured passengers that their safety and security remain the top priority.
[Posted 5:30 PM]
Qatar confirms Israeli attack on Hamas delegation
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said on Tuesday that Israel had carried out an attack in Doha against residential complexes where members of Hamas’s political bureau were staying.
Al-Ansari described the strike as a “cowardly act” which flagrantly breaches international law and endangers the safety of both Qatari citizens and foreign residents.
He stressed that Doha would not accept “reckless Israeli actions” that undermine regional stability or threaten the country’s sovereignty, adding that security and emergency services responded immediately and that an investigation had already begun.
[Posted 4:35 PM]
