Israel strikes Hamas leadership, explosions reported in Qatar’s capital

The Israeli military said it targeted senior Hamas leaders on Tuesday, after AFP journalists in Doha reported explosions in the Qatari capital, where the Palestinian group’s political bureau is based.

“The IDF (Israeli military) and ISA (security agency) conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organisation,” the military said, without specifying where the strike took place.

An AFP journalist in Doha reported explosions rocking a Hamas compound in the city.

“For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organisation’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal October 7 (2023) massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel,” the military said.

Tuesday’s strikes come less than two weeks after armed forces chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir vowed to targed the group’s leaders based abroad.

“Most of Hamas’s leadership is abroad, and we will reach them as well,” Zamir said on August 31.

May all your enemies perish, Israel,” Culture Minister Miki Zohar posted on X.

Hamas and Israel have held multiple rounds of indirect ceasefire negotiations brokered by Qatar, Egypt and the United States throughout the nearly two-year Gaza war.

Despite two temporary truces, the talks have failed to bring a lasting end to the war.

Hamas said Sunday it was ready to “immediately sit at the negotiating table” following what it described as “some ideas from the American side aimed at reaching a ceasefire agreement.”

US President Donald Trump said Sunday he was issuing a “last warning” to Hamas, insisting it accept a deal to release the hostages seized during the October 2023 attack, which sparked the war.

AFP