Israeli Strike In Doha Complicates Ceasefire Talks As Hamas Accuses US Of Complicity

Doha: Following Israel's airstrike on Hamas negotiators in Qatar, the militant group has accused both Israel and the United States of undermining ceasefire efforts in Gaza.“This crime amounts to an assassination of the negotiation process,” Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum said during a televised press conference, adding that Washington was a“full accomplice” in the attack. The strike, carried out on Tuesday, September 9,  killed six people in Doha. Funerals were held on Thursday at the Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque, where Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani joined mourners. One coffin was draped in the Qatari flag, while the others bore Palestinian flags. The victims were later buried at Mesaimeer Cemetery under heavy security.

Hamas confirmed that among the dead were Hamam, son of senior negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, his office director Jihad Labad, and three bodyguards, Ahmad Mamlouk, Abdallah Abdelwahd, and Mumen Hassoun. Qatari soldier Lance Corporal Badr Saad Mohammed al-Humaidi al-Dosari was also killed. Israel's target, al-Hayya himself, has not been seen publicly since the strike. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told CNN that the attack“killed any hope” for Israeli hostage talks and said Doha was reassessing its role as mediator. He also suggested an Arab-Islamic summit may soon convene in Doha to decide on a collective response to the assault.

The airstrikes marked Israel's first attack in the Gulf region, drawing sharp international condemnation. Analysts say the strike has further destabilized mediation efforts, recalling the July 2024 assassination of former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, widely blamed on Israel.

Qatar Rejects US Claim of Prior Warning

Qatar has dismissed claims from Washington that it was alerted before Israeli airstrikes hit its capital, Doha. The denial came hours after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the Biden administration had informed Qatari authorities in advance of Israel's“impending strikes” targeting Hamas leaders. Majed Al Ansari, advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani and spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, countered the statement, calling it“baseless.” He stressed that a U.S. call came only after the explosions had already begun.“The statements being circulated about Qatar being informed of the attack in advance are baseless. The call from a U.S. official came during the sound of explosions caused by the Israeli attack in Doha,” Al Ansari wrote on X.

The controversy follows Israeli strikes on a residential area in Doha said to house senior Hamas leaders. According to Hamas, five of its members were killed, though the group's negotiators survived. At a press conference, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed condemned the attack, branding Israel a“rogue player” in the Middle East and accusing it of“state terrorism.” He warned that the strike was a threat not just to Qatar but to regional stability.

(With agency inputs)

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