On Tuesday evening, Hamas confirmed that the Israeli airstrike that targeted its Gaza ceasefire negotiating team in Doha had failed.
"We confirm the enemy's failure to assassinate our brothers in the negotiating delegation," the Islamic Resistance Movement said.
"The treacherous attempt by the Zionist occupation to assassinate the Hamas negotiating delegation in the Qatari capital, Doha, today is a heinous crime, a blatant aggression, and a flagrant violation of all international norms and laws," the Palestinian group noted.
"This crime constitutes an assault on the sovereignty of the sisterly State of Qatar, which, along with sisterly 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. This once again reveals the criminal nature of the occupation and its desire to undermine any chances of reaching an agreement."
Hamas confirmed that five of its members were killed in the Israeli airstrike: Jihad Labad (Abu Bilal) – Director of Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya's Office; Humam Al-Hayya (Abu Yahya) – son of Khalil Al-Hayya; Abdullah Abdul Wahid (Abu Khalil); Moamen Hassouna (Abu Omar); and Ahmed Al-Mamluk (Abu Malik).
Israeli media reports had said that the Israeli airstrike targeted top Hamas leaders, including Khalil Al-Hayya, Hamas Political Bureau and top ceasefire negotiator, and Khaled Meshal, former Hamas chief.
Suhail al-Hindi, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told Al Jazeera that Jihad Labad and Hammam Al-Hayya, son of Khalil Al-Hayya - head of the Hamas negotiation team, were killed in the Israeli airstrike, among others.
Earlier, a Hamas source told Al Jazeera that senior leaders of the Palestinian resistance movement had survived the attack.
The source told Al Jazeera that the leadership was discussing the latest proposal from the Trump administration for a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
'Entirely Israeli'
The Israeli Radio said warplanes struck a meeting of senior Hamas leaders, including lead ceasefire negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya and former Hamas leader Khaled Mashal, with precision missiles.
"Much of the world, including much of the democratic world, or governments at least, have shamefully, shamefully forgotten October 7th. But I don't forget, and Israel will never forget," he said at a US embassy function in Jerusalem soon after Britain condemned Israeli strikes targeting Hamas leaders in Doha.
Earlier, in its first announcement following its bombardment of Qatar, Doha, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office stated: "The operation carried out today against senior Hamas leaders in Qatar was an entirely Israeli operation. Israel initiated it, Israel carried it out, and Israel bears full responsibility for it."
Israel notified the United States before it carried out airstrikes on senior Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital Doha, a White House official said Tuesday.
"We were informed in advance," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity about the strike on Qatar, a key US ally that's home to a large US military base.
Qatar responds
In a statement, the Qatar foreign ministry denounced the attack on its soil, saying that "it will not show any leniency toward such reckless Israeli action."
"The criminal aggression is a violation of all international laws and a serious threat to the safety and security of Qataris and residents," read the statement.
Arab, UN, regioanl condemnation
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) voiced solidarity with Qatar and condemned the Israeli attack in Doha, urging the international community to hold Israel accountable for violations of international law.
GCC Secretary-General Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi denounced in a statement the “despicable and cowardly operation carried out by the Israeli occupation forces on the territory of the sisterly State of Qatar.”
The Arab League condemned the Israeli attack, saying that the league "expresses solidarity with Qatar against this flagrant transgression on its sovereignty and supports any measures that it would undertake to protect its sovereignty and security."
Meanwhile, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Israel's strikes on Qatar, calling them a "flagrant violation" of Doha's sovereignty.
"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 release of all hostages. I condemn this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar," Guterres told a media briefing.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has fought alongside Hamas against Israel, condemned Israel's targeting of its ally's leaders in the Qatari capital Doha.
Israel's "targeting of a meeting of leaders of... Hamas in the Qatari capital, Doha, is a blatant criminal act that violates all human standards and values, as well as the most basic international laws and norms," Islamic Jihad said in a statement.
Separately, in statements, several Arab states strongly condemned the Israeli strike on the Qatari capital Doha, calling it a dangerous escalation and a flagrant breach of international law. These included Palestine, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Kuwait.
Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey also issued statements denouncing the Israeli aggression against Qatar and the Palestinian people.
Cairo condemns
Meanwhile, Egypt strongly condemned Israel’s strike on the Qatari capital, Doha, describing it as a grave violation of international law and state sovereignty, the Egyptian Presidency stated.
“Egypt expresses its strong condemnation and deep denunciation of the aggression act carried out today by the Israeli occupation forces against the sister State of Qatar, which targeted a meeting of Palestinian leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha, to discuss ways to reach a ceasefire agreement, in blatant violation of international law, the principles of respect for state sovereignty, and the inviolability of their territories."
Egypt affirmed that "the Israeli aggression on Qatar represents a dangerous precedent and an unacceptable development and constitutes a direct assault on the sovereignty of the sister State of Qatar, which plays a pivotal role in mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip."
Later in the evening, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi expressed Egypt’s strong condemnation and rejection of Israel’s attack in a phone call with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
According to the Egyptian Presidency, El-Sisi reaffirmed Cairo’s categorical opposition to any violation of Qatar’s sovereignty.
He stressed Egypt’s full solidarity—both leadership and people—with Qatar in the face of what he described as a blatant breach of international law and the UN Charter, calling the attack a provocative and unacceptable threat to Qatar’s security, stability, and territorial integrity.
The president also voiced Egypt’s support for any measures Qatar undertakes to safeguard its security and stability.
killing talks?
The Israeli attack on the Palestinian negotiation team in Doha comes two days after the White House sent a new proposal to Hamas for a comprehensive ceasefire and captive-release deal in Gaza, using an Israeli peace activist as a back channel.
It also came hours after Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held talks earlier with Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s chief negotiator, on a ceasefire deal.
On Sunday, Hamas confirmed receiving an American ceasefire proposal that reportedly included the release of the remaining 48 captives still in Gaza on the first day of the truce.
On 18 August, Hamas told Egyptian and Qatari mediators it had accepted a 60-day truce proposal involving phased exchanges of captives and expanded humanitarian access – a framework drawn up with US input and nearly identical to one previously approved by Israel.
However, Israel chose not to give a formal response and has instead launched its escalated military assault with the intention of occupying Gaza City as it presses ahead with its 23-month-old genocidal war on the strip.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump issued what he described as a "last warning" to Hamas. "The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one."
Speaking two days earlier, Trump said the US was "in deep negotiations with Hamas" over a potential ceasefire and captive deal. "If you immediately release the hostages, good things are going to happen," he said. "But if you don't, it is going to be tough and nasty for you."
Europe rejects
Paris - French President Emmanuel Macron said Israel's air strikes on Tuesday on the Qatari capital Doha were unacceptable, whatever the reasoning behind them might be.
The strikes "are unacceptable regardless of motive," Macron wrote on X, adding that "the war must not be allowed to spread in the region".
"Today's Israeli strikes on Qatar are unacceptable, whatever the reason. I express my solidarity with Qatar and its Emir, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani. Under no circumstances should the war spread throughout the region."
London - UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned Israel's airstrikes targeting Hamas political leaders, saying the attack violated Qatar's sovereignty and risked "further escalation" in the volatile region.
"I condemn Israel's strikes on Doha... The priority must be an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a huge surge in aid into Gaza," he posted on X.
"This is the only solution towards long-lasting peace."
"I condemn Israel’s strikes on Doha, which violate Qatar’s sovereignty and risk further escalation across the region. The priority must be an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a huge surge in aid into Gaza. This is the only solution towards long-lasting peace."
The Vatican - “There's some really serious news right now: Israel's attack on some Hamas leaders in Qatar. The entire situation is very serious,” Pope Leo XIV said outside Castel Gandolfo.
Berlin - "Israel's attack on Doha not only violates Qatar's territorial sovereignty, but also jeopardises all of our efforts to secure the release of the hostages. This attack is unacceptable," German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said in a statement.
What happens in Washington ...
US President Donald Trump feels "very badly" about Israel's strike on Hamas targets in Qatar and directed a top aide, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar that the attack was coming, the White House said on Tuesday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US military informed the administration on Tuesday morning that Israel's strike was going to take place. She would not answer when asked by reporters who informed the US military.
When Trump learned about it, he directed US Special Envoy Witkoff to warn Qatar that it was coming, she said.
After the strike, Trump spoke to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, she said.
Trump assured the Qatari leader that "such a thing will not happen again on their soil," Leavitt added.
She referred to the strike as an "unfortunate incident" and said Trump "feels very badly" about the location of the attack.
"Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar - a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard in bravely taking risks with us to broker peace - does not advance Israel or America's goals," Leavitt said.
"However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal. President Trump immediately directed Special Envoy Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did," she said.
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*Zeinab Gundi, Sherry Gergawi, Mohamed Badr, and Ezzat Sameh contributed to this coverage.
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