Qatar said on Tuesday that explosions in the Katara District of Doha were the result of an Israeli strike that targeted senior members of Hamas leadership, even as negotiators were engaged in discussions on a new ceasefire proposal. Smoke was seen rising from the area following multiple blasts in the afternoon.
Majid Al Ansari, spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the attack hit residential buildings where members of Hamas’s politburo were present, describing the incident as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty. He added that Qatar “strongly condemns this assault” and reaffirmed that the state would not tolerate such actions.
In a separate statement, the Israeli army confirmed that it carried out a “precise strike” targeting senior Hamas figures, though it did not mention Doha specifically. The statement said the individuals targeted had long been involved in directing operations and held responsibility for past attacks as well as the ongoing conflict.
The incident comes at a sensitive time, as international mediators continue to push for progress on a ceasefire framework. The strike and the diplomatic fallout that follows are likely to add further complexity to negotiations aimed at de-escalating the conflict.
