New satellite imagery released by Planet Labs on Wednesday showed damage to a residential complex hosting Hamas leaders whom Israel targeted in strikes on Doha on Tuesday.
Authorities in Qatar said they were retrieving body parts and were working on identifying them. There is no confirmation that Israel’s attack killed senior Hamas leaders who were convening in Doha when bombed.
Newsweek has contacted the Qatari Foreign Ministry and the Israeli prime minister’s office for further comment.
Why It Matters
U.S. President Donald Trump has assured Qatar that such strikes would not be repeated even as he backed Israel’s drive to dismantle Hamas. Israel’s renewed vow to pursue the group’s leaders everywhere, including in Qatar, threatens to strain one of Trump’s biggest diplomatic wins with Arab partners, who also serve as key mediators in peace deals and broader diplomacy that serve U.S. interests.
Tensions may further undercut Trump’s push for a Gaza ceasefire and risks sparking retaliatory violence in a region to which he has vowed to bring peace.
What To Know
Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. military base in the region, has urged Trump to back action against Israel following the strikes, which it said breached its sovereignty.
“What we heard from the president was a very strong message reiterating his commitment to the partnership of Qatar, expressing that this is unacceptable to be attacked, and we highly appreciate that. And I think the actions should follow,” Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told CNN, reiterating similar comments by Qatar’s emir.
Israel’s leadership said the strike was justified, adding that it was Hamas’ leadership that planned and directed the October 7, 2023, attack. Hamas killed about 1,200 people in its attack on southern Israel and captured another 251 as hostages, igniting the ongoing Gaza war. Fewer than 20 hostages still being held by Hamas are believed to be alive.
Al Thani told CNN in a Wednesday interview that the recent Israeli strikes killed hopes for the release of the remaining hostages and undermined chances for peace and stability. He added that he had met with a family of an Israeli hostage the same day Israel attacked.
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Trump expressed his frustration directly in calls with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but has underscored his backing of military efforts against Hamas, including a fresh Israeli offensive in Gaza, The Wall Street Journal reported.
“I say to Qatar and all nations who harbor terrorists, you either expel them, or you bring them to justice because if you don’t, we will,” Netanyahu said on Wednesday.
In response, Al Thani said Netanyahu was the one who “needs to be brought to justice,” adding that he was wanted by the International Criminal Court.
The targeted Hamas delegation was convening in Doha to discuss the latest U.S. proposal for a Gaza ceasefire after Trump gave the group an ultimatum to release all hostages or face consequences.
Six Hamas individuals were killed in the strikes, including the son of leader Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas said. The group said other senior members had survived.
What People Are Saying
Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told CNN: “I have no words to express how enraged we are from such an action. This is state terror. That’s what I call it. We are betrayed. I cannot say it’s by the U.S. The U.S. has expressed in many occasions their support to us. The U.S., the president, right after the attack, he spoke with his highness, the emir, and he was very clear that this is unacceptable.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video address on Wednesday, published on his X account: “We remember October 7th. On that day, Islamist terrorists committed the worst savagery against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. … [Qatar] gives safe haven. It harbors terrorists. It finances Hamas. It gives its terrorist chieftains sumptuous villas. It gives them everything.”
U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday: “I view Qatar as a strong Ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack. I want ALL of the Hostages, and bodies of the dead, released, and this War to END, NOW! I also spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu after the attack. The Prime Minister told me that he wants to make Peace. I believe this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for PEACE.”
What Happens Next
Details have yet to be disclosed regarding a Defense Cooperation Agreement that Trump has directed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalize with Qatar, with the latter seeking an emergency U.N. Security Council session.
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