9 hours ago
4
Qatar, which has been trying to negotiate a cease-fire, condemned the attack. The Qatari foreign ministry said a residential headquarters where senior Hamas politicians lived was targeted.
Sept. 9, 2025Updated 10:08 a.m. ET
An Israeli strike targeted senior members of Hamas’s leadership on Tuesday in the Gulf nation of Qatar, which has been mediating to try to end the Gaza war.
The fate of the officials was not immediately known.
Qatar condemned the attack, which Majed al-Ansari, the spokesman for the Qatari foreign ministry, said in a statement targeted the “residential headquarters” where a number of senior Hamas politicians lived.
Qatar has played a major role as a mediator in talks between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza. The direct attack on Qatari soil risks antagonizing its government and unraveling those diplomatic efforts, particularly because Qatar’s political and economic stability hinges on its reputation as a haven for business and tourism in a volatile region.
Qatar agreed to host an office for Hamas at the request of the United States, Qatari officials have said in the past.
“This criminal assault constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms, and poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar,” Mr. al-Ansari said.
An unidentified senior Hamas official told Al Jazeera, the Qatari broadcaster, that the attack happened while a team was discussing President Trump’s proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza.
Image
An Israeli official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, said the Hamas leaders were gathering to discuss the U.S. proposal.
Qatar was thought to be neutral ground, in part, because of it maintains contacts with the Israeli government. Senior Israeli government officials have traveled many times to Doha to talk to Qatari leaders about securing the release of hostages in Gaza since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that ignited the war in the territory.
But Israeli officials have promised to kill Hamas leaders who were involved in the planning of the October attack on Israel. In May, Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, specifically threatened Khalil al-Hayya, the chief Hamas negotiator, who is often in Qatar.
It is unclear whether he was in Qatar at the time of the attack. The head of his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ismaeel Naar contributed reporting from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Adam Rasgon is a reporter for The Times in Jerusalem, covering Israeli and Palestinian affairs.
Vivian Nereim is the lead reporter for The Times covering the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. She is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Ronen Bergman is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, based in Tel Aviv.
