(DOHA, Qatar) — Five members of Hamas and a member of Qatar’s Internal Security Force were killed Tuesday in an Israeli strike on Doha, Qatar, targeting senior Hamas leadership in the country for ceasefire talks, according to statements from officials on each side.
Among the Hamas members killed were the son of a senior Hamas leader Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya — the head of the Hamas movement in Gaza and the head of the negotiating team for Hamas in the ongoing negotiations with Israel — and an aide to the leader. Al-Hayya himself, an apparent target of the strike, survived, according to Hamas.
“This crime represents an attack on the sovereignty of the sister State of Qatar, which, alongside sister Egypt, plays an important and responsible role in sponsoring mediation and efforts aimed at halting the aggression and reaching a ceasefire and prisoner-exchange agreement,” Hamas said in a statement Tuesday.
“It once again exposes the criminal nature of the occupation and its intent to undermine any chances of reaching an agreement. We affirm that the enemy has failed to assassinate the brothers in the negotiating delegation,” Hamas said.
There were “a number of injuries” among Qatari security personnel from the strike, Qatar’s Ministry of the Interior said.
“The competent authorities continue to survey and secure the targeted area using the explosives unit of the Internal Security Force,” the Ministry of the Interior said.
In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said airstrikes targeting Hamas leadership in Doha were “completely justified in light of the fact that this Hamas leadership was the one who initiated and organized the October 7 massacre, and has not stopped launching murderous actions against the State of Israel and its citizens since then, including taking responsibility for the murder of our citizens in yesterday’s attack in Jerusalem.”
President Donald Trump said in a statement read by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt that the U.S. “feels badly” about the location of the attack and adds that “unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”
When asked when the administration learned about the attack, Leavitt said, “This morning, just before the attack.” Qatar said they heard from an American official about the attack as the explosions were taking place.
But, Trump said he “believes that this can serve as an opportunity for peace, and he’s still actively and aggressively pursuing it.”
Israel told the U.S. military it planned to strike Hamas in advance, but didn’t provide a location or other specifics in advance, a U.S. official told ABC News.
The vague notification left the military to discern on its own that explosions in Qatar were the result of Israeli action, the official said. The official declined to say when exactly the U.S. received the warning from Israel, noting only “it wasn’t sufficient enough to adequately warn regional partners.”
Netanyahu’s office said the action against top Hamas leadership was a “wholly independent Israeli operation.”
“Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility,” Netanyahu’s office said.
Netanyahu said he “convened the heads of Israel’s security organizations” at noon Tuesday and “authorized a surgical precision strike” on Hamas leadership.
“For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7th massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement.
Trump also spoke to Netanyahu after the attack, the White House said.
“The prime minister told President Trump that he wants to make peace and quickly. President Trump believes this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace. The president also spoke to the emir and prime minister of Qatar and thanked them for their support and friendship to our country. He assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil,” Leavitt said.
When asked whether Trump is upset with Netanyahu for these strikes on U.S. soil, Leavitt said Trump made his opinions clear to Netanyahu.
Qatar condemned what it said was an Israeli attack on Doha in a statement on social media.
“The State of Qatar condemns in the strongest terms the cowardly Israeli attack targeting the residential headquarters of several members of the Hamas Political Bureau in the Qatari capital, Doha. 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,” a spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted on X.
However, Qatar said it will continue to mediate the ceasefire talks.
Qatar said its agencies immediately responded to the incident.
“While the State of Qatar strongly condemns this attack, it affirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior, its continued tampering with regional security, or 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,” the spokesperson said.
The U.S. Embassy in Doha has issued a shelter-in-place order for their facilities due to the missile strikes.
“U.S. citizens are advised to shelter-in-place and monitor USEmbassyDoha social media for updates,” the embassy said in a statement on X.
A U.S. defense official said, “We’re aware of these reports but do not have any additional information to provide.”
“U.S. forces did not participate in the strikes,” according to a U.S. official.
Qatar is home to the largest U.S. military base in the region. Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by Iran in June in retaliation for U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with Qatari forces helping the U.S. to intercept the missiles.
Hamas leadership and its primary negotiators have been based in Doha for years while trying to get a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
“Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence,” the IDF said.
World leaders condemned Israel’s attack on Doha, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
“We are just learning about the Israeli attacks in Qatar, a country that has been playing a very positive role to achieve a ceasefire and the release of all hostages. I condemn this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar. All parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it,” Guterres said.
“The evidence is clear. Excessive military spending does not guarantee peace. It often undermines it, fueling arms race, deepening mistrust, and diverting resources from the very foundations of stability. A more secure world begins by investing at least as much in fighting poverty as we do in fighting wars,” he added.
The United Kingdom and France condemned Israel’s strikes in Doha in separate statements.
“Today’s Israeli air strikes in Qatar are unacceptable under any circumstances, whatever the justification,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement.
Egyptian officials called on the international community to “assume its legal and moral responsibilities regarding this flagrant Israeli violation, to take immediate action to halt the Israeli aggression, and to hold those responsible accountable, so that it does not add to Israel’s usual impunity.”
“The attack targeted a meeting of Palestinian leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha, to discuss ways to reach a ceasefire agreement. This attack is a flagrant violation of international law and the principles of respect for the sovereignty of states and the sanctity of their territories,” Egyptian officials said in a statement.
“Egypt affirms that this attack sets a dangerous precedent and an unacceptable development and constitutes a direct assault on the sovereignty of the sisterly State of Qatar, which plays a pivotal role in mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Egypt also believes that this escalation undermines international efforts aimed at calming the situation and threatens security and stability in the entire region,” the country added.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman condemned Israel’s attack targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, calling it a “criminal act” and a “flagrant violation of international laws,” in a statement released by the Saudi Press Agency.
The United Arab Emirates’ Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and minister foreign affairs, “called on the international community, particularly the Security Council, to take up its legal and moral responsibilities to deter Israel and halt these barbaric Israeli attacks.”
“Continuing such reckless attacks, in the absence of a deterrent and decisive international stance, will have extremely dangerous repercussions for regional and international security and peace, and will cement a reality that cannot be tolerated or accepted,” the UAE said in a statement.
Iran also condemned the attack, calling it a “continuation of the crimes” Israel “has committed by violating all norms and international rules,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a statement in Farsi.
ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart, Anne Flaherty, Morgan Winsor, Shannon K. Kingston, Jordana Miller, Kirit Radia and Somayeh Malekian contributed to this report.
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