Israel carried out a rare strike at Doha on Tuesday, targeting senior Hamas leaders, including Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin.
The operation came just hours after Hamas officials met with Qatar’s prime minister over a US-backed ceasefire proposal.
“The IDF and ISA conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organisation,” Israeli Defence Forces confirmed in a social media post.
Qatar condemned the attack as a violation of its sovereignty and international law.
“This criminal assault constitutes a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms, and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar, Dr. Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson of Qatar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said in his social media post.
“While the State of Qatar strongly condemns this assault, it confirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and the ongoing disruption of regional security, nor any act that targets its security and sovereignty.”
According to reports, Al-Hayya, a key Hamas negotiator, may have been killed in the strike, though Qatari officials have not confirmed his status.
ICE Brent futures have moved up following the reports of the attack. The front-month contract was at $66.94/barrel at 14.00 GMT, up by $1.39/barrel from yesterday’s settlement.
