Reuters, citing Israeli officials, reported that Israel’s military attacked the leadership of the Palestinian group in Qatar’s capital. The army confirmed it had hit senior Hamas figures but did not say where they were targeted. Loud blasts were heard in Doha on Tuesday, Reuters added.
Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the operation, saying the strike targeted “residential buildings” housing several members of Hamas’s political bureau.
Saudi-owned Al Arabiya reported that Khalil al-Hayya, described as Hamas’s chief negotiator in Gaza ceasefire talks, was killed in the attack. Two Hamas members, however, told Reuters the group’s negotiating team survived.
The Times of Israel said the strike hit a building where several senior Hamas leaders were present, including former leader Khaled Mashaal.
Israel’s Channel 12 reported that U.S. President Donald Trump had been briefed on the operation and agreed to it.
Doha is a main base for Hamas officials living in exile. The Islamist movement has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007 and launched an assault on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, triggering the ongoing war.
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Source: Reuters, PAP