Qatari PM says nothing will deter Qatar’s mediation role and accuses Netanyahu of ‘state terrorism’
Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Tuesday that mediation efforts are part of the Qatari identity and nothing would deter its role in that regard, hours after Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha.
Doha, along with Cairo and Washington, has been a key mediator between Israel and Hamas during the war in Gaza.
“Qatar has spared no efforts and will do everything it can to stop this war in Gaza, but for current talks, I do not think there’s something valid right now after what we saw from today’s attack,” al-Thani said at a news conference.
He blamed Israel for sabotaging what he said were chances for peace, sharply criticizing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu whom he said practiced “state terrorism”.
Netanyahu has claimed the attack was “entirely justified” and was ordered after an attack in Jerusalem and the loss of four Israeli soldiers in Gaza.
Al-Thani said US officials first warned Qatar of the Israeli attack 10 minutes after it began, describing the strike as “100% treacherous”.
“Qatar reserves the right to respond to this blatant attack and will take all necessary measures to respond,” he added, saying a legal team has been formed to handle the Gulf country’s response to the attack.
Updated at 17.25 EDT
Key events
1h ago
Gaza flotilla says one of its boats hit in suspected drone attack
2h ago
The day so far
3h ago
Qatari PM says nothing will deter Qatar’s mediation role and accuses Netanyahu of ‘state terrorism’
3h ago
Trump says decision to strike in Qatar was Netanyahu’s alone
3h ago
Princeton researcher Tsurkov released from militia captivity in Iraq, Trump says
4h ago
Six killed in Israeli strike on Doha, says Hamas
4h ago
Canada’s Mark Carney condemns Israel’s airstrike on Doha
5h ago
Qatar tells UN it will not tolerate ‘reckless Israeli behaviour’
5h ago
Qatar will take all necessary measures to protect its security, emir tells Trump
5h ago
EU condemns Israel’s strike in Qatar as ‘breach of international law’
5h ago
White House dodges questions over who informed US military of Israel’s attack on Doha
6h ago
White House says US military was notified about Israel’s strike ‘this morning, just before the attack’
6h ago
Qatar says US reports about being informed of Israeli attack on Doha beforehand are false
6h ago
White House calls Israeli strike on ‘strong US ally’ Qatar ‘unfortunate’ but stops short of condemnation
7h ago
The day so far
7h ago
Hamas figure says Khalil Al-Hayya’s son among fatalities in Doha attack
8h ago
Netanyahu says Doha attack on Hamas leadership was ordered in response to Jerusalem shooting
9h ago
UN chief Guterres condemns Israeli strikes on Qatar
10h ago
Hamas leaders have survived attack, Reuters reports
10h ago
Qatar condemns ‘cowardly criminal assault’ on Doha it says violated international laws
10h ago
The Israeli military confirms it targeted senior Hamas leaders in Doha
11h ago
Reports of assassination operation carried out against Hamas officials in Qatar
11h ago
Hamas claims responsibility for Monday’s deadly Jerusalem shooting
12h ago
Death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza reaches 64,605, says health ministry
13h ago
Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah near Israel border within three months, minister says
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Flotilla boat carrying aid to Gaza struck by flaming object, video shows
14h ago
Israel’s expanded assault on Gaza City will endanger the lives of ‘countless civilians’, charity warns
15h ago
Israel to demolish homes in Palestinian villages of Jerusalem attackers
18h ago
Israel’s military orders Gaza City residents to evacuate
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We’re closing this blog soon. In the meantime, here’s a rundown of the latest developments:
Donald Trump has said that Israel’s decision to attack Hamas leaders in Qatar was made by Benjamin Netanyahu alone and not by him. As questions continue to swirl over the timeline and sequence of events that led to the US being told of Israel’s attack on Doha, and over the level and nature of Trump’s involvement, if any, the US president wrote a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform distancing himself from the strikes.
Six people were killed in the strike on Doha, according to Hamas, but its top leadership, including the team negotiating for a peace deal in Gaza, survived the attack. The dead included the son of its exiled Gaza chief, Khalil al-Hayya, and an aide to the leader, along with a member of Qatar’s internal security forces.
Trump and White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US military informed the Trump administration on Tuesday morning that Israel was going to strike Doha. But Leavitt would not answer when asked who informed the US military.
The White House also called the incident “unfortunate”, saying Trump “views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of the attack” – but stopped short of condemnation. In a carefully worded statement, Trump said that “unilaterally bombing inside Qatar … does not advance Israel or America’s goals” but added that “eliminating Hamas … is a worthy goal”.
Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said that US officials first warned Qatar of the Israeli attack 10 minutes after it began, describing the strike as “100% treacherous”. Al-Thani poured water on US claims that Qatar was given advanced warning of the attack, and blamed Israel for sabotaging what he said were chances for peace, sharply criticizing Netanyahu whom he said practiced “state terrorism”. He also said that mediation efforts are part of the Qatari identity and nothing would deter its role in that regard.
Qatar also told the United Nations Security Council that it will “not tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and the ongoing disruption of regional security”. “The state of Qatar strongly condemns this cowardly criminal assault, which constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms,” Qatar’s UN ambassador Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani wrote to the council on Tuesday in a letter seen by Reuters.
The security council is to meet on Wednesday to discuss the attack on Qatar, AFP reported, citing diplomatic sources.
Turkey accused Israel of adopting “terrorism as state policy” while UK prime minister Keir Starmer said it “violated Qatar’s sovereignty and risked further escalation across the region”. But UK sources confirmed that the prime minister still intended to meet the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, in London on Wednesday.
In other news, Trump announced that Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was kidnapped in Iraq over two years ago, had been released from captivity by Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah. Tsurkov, a Princeton University researcher, went missing in Iraq during a research trip in March 2023.
The flotilla attempting to reach Gaza reported that one of its boats, the British-flagged Alma had been hit by a suspected drone strike while docked in Tunisia, calling it a “very clear intimidation tactic to keep us from setting sail tomorrow”. The report came a day after the group said another of its vessels was struck in Tunisian waters.
Updated at 19.55 EDT
After the request by Algeria we reported on earlier, AFP is now reporting that the UN security council will meet on Wednesday to discuss the Israeli attack on Qatar.
In a further update, the Global Sumud Flotilla has said it was the British-flagged Alma which was hit by the suspected drone strike.
In an Instagram post to the group’s account, one activist said the suspected attack took place while the boats docked in Tunisia and that activists were on standby to go and inspect the vessel for structural damage.
“From what we know so far there’s no significant structural damage,” she said, adding: “This is a very clear intimidation tactic to keep us from setting sail tomorrow.”
ShareGaza flotilla says one of its boats hit in suspected drone attack
The flotilla carrying aid for Gaza and pro-Palestinian activists said early on Wednesday that one of its boats was hit in a suspected drone attack, with no injuries reported, a day after the group said another of its vessels was struck in Tunisian waters.
The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) is an international initiative seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade and deliver humanitarian aid to war-torn Gaza using civilian boats supported by delegations from 44 countries.
On Tuesday the group said one of its boats has been struck in a drone attack while docked in Tunisia.
Tunisia’s interior ministry said reports of a drone hitting a boat in the port on Tuesday “have no basis in truth”, and that a fire broke out on the vessel itself.
Updated at 19.12 EDT
US independent Senator Bernie Sanders has called on the US government to halt military aid to Israel, calling its government “out of control”. In a post on X he wrote,
Netanyahu’s extremist government is completely out of control. Not only are they starving children in Gaza, they are now breaking international law by dropping bombs on Qatar, a US security partner. When is enough, enough? NO MORE US MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL.
He has repeatedly tried to advance resolutions in the Senate to block arms sales to Israel, which have been defeated.
Algeria has asked the UN Security Council to meet after the Israeli attack on Hamas leaders, diplomats have said according to Reuters.
Algeria requested the 15-member council meet on Wednesday, diplomats said.
ShareThe day so far
Donald Trump has said that Israel’s decision to strike Qatar was made by Benjamin Netanyahu alone and not by him. As questions continue to swirl over the timeline and sequence of events that led to the US being told of Israel’s attack on Doha, and over the level and nature of Trump’s involvement, if any, the US president wrote a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform distancing himself from the strikes.
Trump and White House, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the US military informed the Trump administration on Tuesdeay morning that Israel was going to strike Doha. But Leavitt would not answer when asked who informed the US military.
The White House also called the incident “unfortunate”, saying Trump “views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of the attack” – but stopped short of condemnation. In a carefully worded statement, Trump said that “unilaterally bombing inside Qatar … does not advance Israel or America’s goals” but added that “eliminating Hamas … is a worthy goal”.
Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said that US officials first warned Qatar of the Israeli attack 10 minutes after it began, describing the strike as “100% treacherous”. Al-Thani poured water on US claims that Qatar was given advanced warning of the attack, and blamed Israel for sabotaging what he said were chances for peace, sharply criticizing Netanyahu whom he said practiced “state terrorism”. He also said that mediation efforts are part of the Qatari identity and nothing would deter its role in that regard.
Qatar also told the United Nations Security Council that it will “not tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and the ongoing disruption of regional security”. “The state of Qatar strongly condemns this cowardly criminal assault, which constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms,” Qatar’s UN ambassador Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani wrote to the council on Tuesday in a letter seen by Reuters.
Six people were killed in Israel’s strike on Doha, according to Hamas, including the son of its key negotiator and an aide to the leader, along with a member of Qatar’s internal security forces.
Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney joined the chorus of world leaders condemning Israel’s attack, saying the attack was “an intolerable expansion of violence” that poses a risk of escalating conflict throughout the region. “Canada condemns Israel’s strikes in Qatar — an intolerable expansion of violence and an affront to Qatar’s sovereignty,” Carney said on X.
In other news, Trump announced that Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was kidnapped in Iraq over two years ago, had been released from captivity by Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah. Tsurkov, a Princeton University researcher, went missing in Iraq during a research trip in March 2023.
ShareQatari PM says nothing will deter Qatar’s mediation role and accuses Netanyahu of ‘state terrorism’
Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Tuesday that mediation efforts are part of the Qatari identity and nothing would deter its role in that regard, hours after Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha.
Doha, along with Cairo and Washington, has been a key mediator between Israel and Hamas during the war in Gaza.
“Qatar has spared no efforts and will do everything it can to stop this war in Gaza, but for current talks, I do not think there’s something valid right now after what we saw from today’s attack,” al-Thani said at a news conference.
He blamed Israel for sabotaging what he said were chances for peace, sharply criticizing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu whom he said practiced “state terrorism”.
Netanyahu has claimed the attack was “entirely justified” and was ordered after an attack in Jerusalem and the loss of four Israeli soldiers in Gaza.
Al-Thani said US officials first warned Qatar of the Israeli attack 10 minutes after it began, describing the strike as “100% treacherous”.
“Qatar reserves the right to respond to this blatant attack and will take all necessary measures to respond,” he added, saying a legal team has been formed to handle the Gulf country’s response to the attack.
Updated at 17.25 EDT
Another notable addition in Trump’s post is the claim that “I immediately directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did, however, unfortunately, too late to stop the attack.”
Earlier, the statement read out by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt made a similar claim but did not include the line that the warning came “too late to stop the attack”.
Following Leavitt’s press briefing, Qatar said that reports that it was given advanced warning from the US of the Israeli attack on Doha are false and that US officials first warned Qatar of the attack 10 minutes after it had begun.
It’s therefore unclear what Trump means, as my colleague Robert Mackey notes, in that he seems to suggest that he both has the power to stop Israeli strikes, but for some reason did not have the power to stop the one that took place today.
Updated at 17.17 EDT
Trump says decision to strike in Qatar was Netanyahu’s alone
Donald Trump has said that Israel’s decision to strike Qatar was made by Benjamin Netanyahu alone and not by him.
As questions continue to swirl over the timeline and sequence of events that led to the US being told of Israel’s attack on Doha, the US president has written a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform.
Much of it paraphrases the statement read out earlier at the White House press briefing. But a notable addition, amid questions over the level and nature of Trump’s involvement, if any, is the US president’s distancing himself from the strikes:
This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me.
Updated at 17.15 EDT
Princeton researcher Tsurkov released from militia captivity in Iraq, Trump says
Donald Trump has said that Israeli-Russian researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov, who was kidnapped in Iraq over two years ago, had been released from captivity by Shiite militia Kataib Hezbollah.
The US president just posted on his Truth Social account:
I am pleased to report that Elizabeth Tsurkov, a Princeton Student, whose sister is an American Citizen, was just released by Kata’ib Hezbollah (MILITANT Hezbollah), and is now safely in the American Embassy in Iraq after being tortured for many months. I will always fight for JUSTICE, and never give up. HAMAS, RELEASE THE HOSTAGES, NOW!
Tsurkov, a Princeton University researcher, went missing in Iraq during a research trip in March 2023.
Updated at 16.45 EDT
Qatari prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said during a press conference on Tuesday that the mediation efforts are part of the Qatari identity and nothing would deter its role in that regard, hours after Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha.
Al-Thani added US officials first warned Qatar of the Israeli attack 10 minutes after the attack began, describing the attack as “treacherous”.
ShareSix killed in Israeli strike on Doha, says Hamas
Six people were killed in the Israeli strike on Doha, but Hamas claims its negotiating team survived.
Hamas said that among those killed was the son of the group’s key negotiator, Khalil al-Hayya, and an aide to the leader. Al-Hayya himself survived the strike.
Among the dead was also a member of Qatar’s internal security forces, Corporal Badr Saad Mohammed Al-Humaidi, the group said.