Following an attack targeting Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar has threatened to retaliate against Israel, with the Qatari Prime Minister describing the situation as a “decisive moment” for the Middle East.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani stated at a press conference, covered by Al Jazeera, that Qatar will “act in a decisive way” against any targeting of its territories and “reserve the right to retaliate,” taking all necessary measures.
Al-Thani characterized the attack on Hamas as “state terrorism” perpetrated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He added that the region has reached “a decisive moment” requiring retaliation against “barbaric actions” that reflect Netanyahu’s “barbarism,” leading the region to a point where resolution and adherence to international laws are impossible.
Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin were reportedly the targets of the explosion in Qatar’s capital, according to Israeli media.
Al-Hayya was recently involved in ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip and the release of Hamas-held hostages.
Jabarin, responsible for Hamas’ finances and a key figure in West Bank operations, also participated in the negotiations, albeit in a less prominent role.
Hamas asserted in a statement that Israel failed to “assassinate the brothers in the negotiating delegation.”
The White House stated that President Donald Trump “immediately directed” his special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to inform Qatar of the “impending attack” by Israel prior to the strike.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Trump administration was notified by the U.S. military that Israel was attacking Hamas in Doha. She stated that unilaterally bombing a sovereign nation and close ally working to broker peace does not advance either nation’s goals, though eliminating Hamas is a worthy objective. She added that Trump directed Witkoff to inform Qatar of the impending attack, which Witkoff did.
A spokesperson for Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted Leavitt’s claims, calling reports of advance notification “baseless.”
The official stated on X that the call from a U.S. official occurred during the explosions caused by the Israeli attack in Doha.
’ Thomas Ferraro contributed to this report.