In an unprecedented move that has sent shockwaves through the Middle East and further complicated an already volatile conflict, Israel launched an airstrike on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, targeting Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar. The attack, which killed at least five lower-ranking Hamas members and a member of Qatar’s internal security forces, failed to eliminate the group’s senior exiled leadership. Instead, it has inflamed regional tensions, jeopardized delicate hostage negotiations, and drawn fierce criticism from both Arab capitals and the United States.
The strike came as Hamas leaders were gathered in Doha to discuss a new ceasefire proposal put forward by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. According to France 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later claimed that eliminating Hamas’s Qatar-based chiefs would remove the primary obstacle to ending the Gaza war and releasing Israeli hostages. In a post on X, Netanyahu declared, “The Hamas terrorist chiefs living in Qatar don’t care about the people in Gaza. They blocked all ceasefire attempts in order to endlessly drag out the war. Getting rid of them would rid the main obstacle to releasing all our hostages and ending the war.”
But the outcome of the strike has been anything but a clear-cut victory for Netanyahu. As reported by The Times of Israel, Hamas quickly announced that its senior leaders survived the attack, and no photos have been released to confirm their status. The operation, intended to showcase Israel’s resolve and perhaps even provide Netanyahu with an “image of victory,” instead left the Israeli leader facing mounting international criticism and a diplomatic crisis with Qatar, a key U.S. ally and mediator in the conflict.
The fallout was immediate and severe. Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, condemned the strike as an act of “state terror” and accused Netanyahu of “barbarism.” In comments reported by the Associated Press, Sheikh Mohammed questioned the very foundation of ongoing mediation efforts, stating, “I don’t think there’s anything valid” in the current talks after the strike. The attack, he argued, has undermined Qatar’s role as a neutral broker, a position it has maintained for years with the knowledge and support of the United States.
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two regional heavyweights who only recently ended a years-long boycott of Qatar, responded with rare unity. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called for “an Arab, Islamic and international response to confront the aggression” and deter Israel’s “criminal practices.” The UAE’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan flew to Qatar to embrace its emir, a powerful signal of solidarity. The UAE’s foreign ministry went further, warning that “aggression against any member of the Gulf Cooperation Council constitutes an attack on the collective Gulf security framework.”
The diplomatic rift extended to Washington. President Trump, who has offered steadfast support to Israel throughout his presidency, distanced himself from the strike. According to a White House official cited by the Associated Press, Trump expressed that the attack “does not advance Israel or America’s goals” and assured Qatar that such an operation would not be repeated. Trump’s frustration was palpable, with the official noting he was “very unhappy” about the airstrike, yet offering no indication of punitive measures against Israel or pressure on Netanyahu to alter his strategy.
The strike’s timing and intent have also come under fire from within Israel. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing the families of Israelis held captive in Gaza, accused Netanyahu of sabotaging every potential deal to free the hostages. “The targeted operation in Qatar proved beyond any doubt that there is one obstacle to returning the hostages and ending the war: Prime Minister Netanyahu. Every time a deal approaches, Netanyahu sabotages it,” the group said in a statement, as reported by France 24.
Hamas, for its part, characterized the Doha attack as a deliberate attempt by Israel to derail ceasefire negotiations. The group insisted the strike would not alter its terms for ending the war, reiterating its core demands: an agreement to end hostilities and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. Israel, meanwhile, continues to demand the release of all hostages and the disarmament of Hamas—conditions that remain far apart from those of its adversary.
The broader regional implications are profound. The strike has triggered the worst fears among Gulf leaders—that the United States might abandon its decades-old commitment to protect them from regional aggressors. This anxiety has roots in the shifting sands of Middle Eastern alliances. Just a few years ago, Saudi Arabia and the UAE led a boycott of Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism—charges Doha has consistently denied. Now, the three Gulf states find themselves united in outrage over what they see as a violation of international norms and a dangerous escalation by Israel.
The incident also threatens to unravel the diplomatic gains of the Abraham Accords, brokered by Trump in 2020, which saw the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco normalize relations with Israel. The UAE, which played a leading role in those agreements, has warned Israel that any move to annex the occupied West Bank would be a “red line.” Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners, however, are pushing for annexation and an expanded military operation in Gaza City, despite growing opposition from Israel’s military leadership and segments of the public.
Saudi Arabia, for its part, has made clear that normalization with Israel is off the table unless there is a credible path to an independent Palestinian state encompassing Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem—territories Israel has occupied since 1967. The Saudi crown prince has not only maintained this position but has also accused Israel of “genocide” and sought warmer ties with Iran, further complicating the regional calculus.
Meanwhile, the human cost of the ongoing conflict remains staggering. Israel’s 23-month offensive in Gaza, launched after a Hamas-led attack killed 1,200 people in Israel on October 7, 2023, has devastated the territory and left the fate of at least 20 hostages hanging in the balance. Qatar has previously helped negotiate the release of 148 hostages, including eight bodies, in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Israel’s military has managed to rescue only eight hostages alive and recover the bodies of 51 others.
Despite the diplomatic chaos, Netanyahu appears undeterred. He has threatened further strikes if Qatar continues to host Hamas leaders, declaring, “There is no place where we cannot reach you.” His political future, analysts suggest, depends less on public opinion—which overwhelmingly favors a deal to end the war—and more on the support of his hard-line coalition partners, who have cheered the assassination attempt.
As the region grapples with the fallout from the Doha strike, prospects for a ceasefire and a broader peace appear dimmer than ever. The once-promising channels of negotiation are now fraught with mistrust, and the possibility of new normalization deals between Israel and the Arab world seems increasingly remote. For the families of hostages and the millions caught in the crossfire, the path to peace remains heartbreakingly elusive.