By: Isaac Kwabena Boadu Date: 12th September, 2025
In a shocking and unprecedented move, Israel launched airstrikes on senior Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar’s capital city, on September 9, 2025. The attack, dubbed “Operation Summit of Fire” by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), targeted Hamas’s political bureau members who were reportedly meeting to discuss the latest US ceasefire proposal for Gaza.
The strikes hit residential buildings housing Hamas leaders, killing six people, including the son of Hamas’s exiled Gaza chief, Khalil al-Hayya, and a Qatari security officer. However, Hamas’s top leadership, including chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, survived the attack. The Israeli military confirmed the strike, stating it was aimed at top Hamas leaders and was a response to a Hamas-claimed shooting in Jerusalem on Monday that killed six Israelis.
The attack drew widespread condemnation from the international community, with Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani denouncing Israel’s actions as “state terrorism” and a “flagrant violation” of international law. The Qatari government promised to respond and hold Israel accountable for the attack.
US President Donald Trump distanced himself from the attack, saying it didn’t advance Israel or America’s goals. “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,” Trump said.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, also condemned the attack, stating it was a “flagrant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Other countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, have also denounced the attack.
The airstrikes have raised questions about the future of ceasefire negotiations and the role of Qatar as a mediator in the conflict. The incident has sparked a global outcry, with many countries calling for restraint and renewed diplomacy.
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