The Israeli military has said that explosions seen and heard in the Qatari capital Doha were the result of an assassination attempt against members of the Hamas leadership and senior officials of the Palestinian group.
It is the first such attack by Israel in Qatar, a key mediator in ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas. Israel has been bombarding Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, as well as carrying out daily attacks in the occupied West Bank in Palestine.
The military released a statement Tuesday, saying “The IDF and Shin Bet, through the Air Force, recently carried out a targeted attack on the top leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.”
“The members of the leadership who were attacked led the terrorist organization’s activities for years, and are directly responsible for carrying out the October 7 massacre and waging the war against the State of Israel, it added.
The statement said that before the attack, “steps were taken to minimize harm to uninvolved people, including the use of precision weapons and additional intelligence information.”
In a statement, Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, said 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 behavior 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.”
