Israel takes responsibility for strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar

An Israeli airstrike targeting senior Hamas leaders in Qatar's capital, Doha, has ignited a fresh diplomatic firestorm in the Middle East, just days before the current date of 15 September. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Israel's "full responsibility" for the operation, which he described as a necessary response to Hamas's ongoing attacks, including recent incidents in Jerusalem and Gaza that claimed Israeli lives. 

The strike, codenamed Operation Summit of Fire, hit a residential compound in the Leqtaifiya district on 9 September, killing five lower-ranking Hamas members but sparing the group's top figures, who were reportedly gathered to discuss a US-proposed ceasefire for Gaza. 

Qatar, a key mediator in the 23-month Gaza conflict and host to thousands of US troops, has branded the assault "blatant, treacherous and cowardly", convening an extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit to forge a unified response. 

As tensions simmer, the United Nations Human Rights Council is preparing an urgent debate for 16 September, highlighting fears of a broader regional escalation.

Details of Israeli strike

The attack unfolded in the early hours of 9 September, when Israeli warplanes unleashed precision-guided munitions on a luxury villa complex believed to house Hamas's political bureau. Intelligence sources indicated the site was a hub for the group's exiled leadership, including Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas's Gaza chief and lead negotiator in ceasefire talks. 

Netanyahu, in a televised address, justified the operation as targeting "terrorists wherever they hide", vowing not to rule out future strikes against Hamas operatives abroad. He linked it directly to Hamas rocket fire and a Jerusalem bombing that killed 10 Israelis hours earlier, framing it as defensive retaliation.

Casualties included al-Hayya's son, three bodyguards, and the head of his office, though Hamas swiftly confirmed its senior leaders escaped unharmed. Smoke billowed over Doha as blasts echoed through the city, prompting immediate evacuations and airspace closures. 

Qatar's foreign ministry decried the violation of its sovereignty, noting the compound's use for diplomatic mediation rather than military purposes. Reports suggest Israel's Mossad intelligence agency had initially proposed a ground infiltration but declined due to high risks, opting instead for the aerial assault.

On the social media platform X, reactions poured in, with users sharing footage of the explosions and debating the legality of the strike. One post from a geopolitical analyst highlighted Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, labelling Israel an "enemy" for the first time, expressing fears of similar attacks on Egyptian soil where Hamas affiliates reside. 

Another user noted the irony of silence over Iran's June 2025 drone strikes on Qatari shipping, contrasting the outcry against Israel.

Qatar convenes emergency summit

In a swift show of solidarity, Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani hosted an extraordinary summit of Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation leaders in Doha on 15 September. 

The gathering, the first of its kind since the 2023 Gaza war escalation, drew heads of state from across the Muslim world to denounce the strike as a "direct threat to regional peace". 

Sheikh Tamim, in a fiery opening address, accused Israel of duplicity, claiming the attack proved Tel Aviv's true aim was to render Gaza "unliveable" rather than secure hostage releases. He vowed a "comprehensive confrontation" of Israeli aggression, urging concrete measures like unified economic sanctions and enhanced support for Palestinian statehood.

The summit's draft resolution, seen by Reuters, warns that such attacks jeopardise normalisation efforts with Israel, including stalled Saudi-Israeli ties and the Abraham Accords. Iraq's prime minister called for a "roadmap to halt fire in Gaza", while Egyptian delegates emphasised collective Arab-Islamic security. 

Notably, the United Arab Emirates conveyed privately to Doha its opposition to any military reprisal, prioritising de-escalation to protect Gulf stability.

X users amplified the summit's rhetoric, with one sharing a video of Sheikh Tamim's speech and another critiquing Qatar's hosting of Hamas as enabling the strike. The event concluded with a joint communique reaffirming Qatar's mediation role alongside Egypt and the US, while demanding UN enforcement of international law.

International backlash and UN response

Global condemnation has mounted, with the UN Human Rights Council scheduling an urgent session for 16 September to probe the strike's compliance with humanitarian law. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres labelled it a "dangerous precedent" that undermines mediation efforts, echoing a Security Council statement from 11 September that expressed solidarity with Qatar. 

The US, while acknowledging Israel's right to self-defence, urged restraint to preserve Doha talks, with President Donald Trump reportedly viewing the operation as a setback to his peace proposals.

European leaders, including the UK's Prime Minister, held "tough" discussions with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who defended the strike as targeted and proportionate. In the Arab street, protests erupted in Amman and Cairo, with demonstrators burning Israeli flags and chanting for boycotts. 

On X, a revolutionary group decried the attack as a "criminal attempt" risking wider war, while others speculated on Qatar's pre-knowledge to avoid direct confrontation.

Hamas, from its Doha base, accused Israel of sabotaging truce negotiations, vowing retaliation "in kind". The group's statement confirmed the survival of al-Hayya and others, releasing unverified footage to bolster claims.

Implications for Gaza, regional stability

The strike has cast a long shadow over Gaza ceasefire prospects, where 23 months of conflict have claimed over 40,000 Palestinian lives and displaced millions. By hitting negotiators mid-discussion of a US plan for phased hostage releases and aid corridors, Israel has alienated key intermediaries, potentially stalling talks indefinitely. Analysts warn it signals a shift towards extraterritorial operations, echoing past assassinations in Iran and Lebanon, and could embolden Hamas to harden positions or seek Iranian backing.

For Qatar, the incident tests its delicate balancing act as a US ally and Hamas host, with economic ripple effects threatening its $500 billion liquefied natural gas exports if sanctions materialise. Broader normalisation with Israel hangs in the balance, as the summit resolution links future ties to halting "aggressions". On X, users debated whether the US tacitly approved the strike to pressure Hamas, with one post suggesting it exposes Trump's Middle East diplomacy as "weak".

As the UN debate looms, this episode underscores the fragility of Middle East peacemaking. Netanyahu's unyielding stance may yield short-term tactical gains but risks isolating Israel diplomatically, while Qatar's defiance rallies the Arab-Islamic bloc. In a region scarred by proxy wars, the Doha strike serves as a stark reminder that mediation's front lines now extend far beyond Gaza's borders.