On September 9, 2025, the usually tranquil streets of Doha, Qatar’s capital, were rocked by a sudden and deadly airstrike. According to multiple reports from ABC News, BBC, and NPR, Israel launched a precision strike targeting a residential complex that housed senior members of Hamas’ political bureau. The attack, which killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, sent shockwaves across the region and upended delicate negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire that had been painstakingly brokered by Qatari mediators.
The Israeli operation, dubbed “Operation Summit of Fire” in the Israeli press, was authorized at noon local time by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after he convened the heads of Israel’s security organizations. The strike targeted a meeting of Hamas’ negotiating team and leaders, who were reportedly discussing recent proposals from the United States and a paper sent by former President Donald Trump. Among those killed were Humam al-Hayya, the son of senior Hamas leader Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya, and Jihad Labad, the director of Al-Hayya’s office, as well as several bodyguards. Dr. Khalil Al-Hayya himself—both the head of Hamas’ Gaza movement and its lead negotiator for a ceasefire—survived the attack, though his whereabouts remained unconfirmed in the immediate aftermath.
Qatari authorities, as reported by BBC, continued searching the site for two missing individuals and worked to identify human remains. The Qatari Interior Ministry confirmed the identities of four Hamas members and Corporal Badr al-Humaidi, a member of Qatar’s Internal Security Force, among the dead. The attack struck in an upscale northern Doha neighborhood, an area dotted with schools, embassies, and family homes—a fact that only heightened the sense of outrage and vulnerability among Qatari citizens and officials.
Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, did not mince words in his condemnation. “This can only be described as state terrorism,” he declared at a press conference after the attack, as quoted by NPR. He went further, saying, “This is a clear message to the region as a whole and that message is that there’s a rogue player in the region.” Sheikh Mohammed expressed deep anger and betrayal, adding, “I have no words to express how enraged we are from such an action … this is state terror. We are betrayed.”
The Qatari leader’s frustration was amplified by the fact that the United States—a close ally with its largest regional air base located in Qatar—provided no advance warning. According to Sheikh Mohammed, the U.S. contacted Qatari officials only ten minutes after the attack. President Trump, speaking to reporters and in a statement read by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, echoed the sentiment of unease: “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 added, “I was very unhappy about it, very unhappy about every aspect, and we got to get the hostages back, but I was very unhappy about the way that went down.”
The Israeli government, however, defended its actions as necessary and justified. Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that the strike targeted the “terrorist masterminds” behind the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages. “The days are over when terrorist leaders enjoy immunity anywhere. I will not allow such immunity for the murderers of our people,” Netanyahu said at a U.S. Embassy event in Jerusalem, as reported by NPR. He issued a stern warning to Qatar and other countries: “You either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will.”
Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, reinforced the uncompromising stance. “Israel’s security policy is clear—Israel’s long arm will act against its enemies everywhere. There is no place for them to hide,” he declared, according to ABC News. Katz warned that unless Hamas meets Israel’s conditions—primarily the release of all hostages and disarmament—“they will be destroyed and Gaza will be destroyed.”
The airstrikes, which Israeli security officials said involved more than ten munitions, appeared to catch both Qatari and U.S. officials off guard, despite months of planning on the Israeli side. Sheikh Mohammed told CNN that the attack had “just killed any hope” for the 48 remaining hostages in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. He lamented that families of the hostages had been “counting on this [ceasefire] mediation and they have no other hope.”
Qatar’s central role as a mediator in the Israel-Hamas conflict has been well established. Since 2012, Doha has hosted the Hamas political bureau and facilitated indirect negotiations between the group and Israel, often alongside Egypt and the United States. The recent strike, however, has thrown Qatar’s future involvement into doubt. “When it comes to the current talks, I don’t think there is something valid right now, while—after we’re seeing such an attack,” Sheikh Mohammed said, as reported by NPR.
Reactions from the broader Arab world were swift and severe. The United Arab Emirates’ President, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, flew to Doha the day after the attack to show solidarity, calling Israel’s actions a “criminal attack” that threatened the region’s “security, stability, and prospects for peace.” Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, expected to visit Doha soon, described the strike as “brutal aggression” requiring a decisive response. Plans for an Arab-Islamic summit in Doha are underway, with regional leaders expected to decide on a course of action in the coming days.
The international community also weighed in. The United Kingdom and France condemned the attack, and the incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of Israel’s conduct in the ongoing Gaza conflict. The International Criminal Court in 2024 issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes related to Gaza—a charge both leaders vehemently deny.
Meanwhile, the human toll in Gaza continues to mount. Since the October 2023 Hamas attack, Israeli strikes have killed at least 64,656 people in Gaza, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. The aftermath of the Doha strike has not only complicated efforts to reach a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages but also threatened Qatar’s unique position as a diplomatic bridge in a deeply fractured region.
In the words of one Israeli official, “If we didn’t get them this time, we’ll get them next time.” But as the dust settles over Doha, the prospects for peace in Gaza—and the broader Middle East—appear more uncertain than ever.