An Israeli precision strike in the heart of Qatar has killed at least five senior Hamas officials, including the son of Politburo member Khalil al-Hayya. Nevertheless, the terrorist organization announced that it would continue negotiations on a possible hostage deal.
The air strike hit several villas in the Al-Qatifiyah district, including a property belonging to Khalil al-Hayya and adjacent offices formerly used by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Haniyeh had already been killed in Tehran at the end of July in an Israeli operation.
According to sources within Hamas, two members of the Politburo were seriously injured, but their identities are being kept secret. Al-Hayya's son, Hammam al-Hayya, his office manager Jihad Lubad, three bodyguards, and a Qatari security official were killed. Israel is said to have used several high-precision explosive devices to destroy the entire complex network, which housed the offices and residences of the Hamas elite.
It is still unclear whether the strike completely eliminated its main target, parts of the Hamas leadership. What is certain, however, is that Israel's intelligence services have detailed knowledge of Hamas' infrastructure in Doha. According to reports, the meeting may have been located using cell phone signals, although Hamas usually leaves phones outside during high-level meetings.
For the terrorist organization, the attack not only means a significant loss of personnel, but also a breach in symbolic security: even in Doha, long considered a safe haven, the leaders are no longer untouchable.
It is noteworthy that, despite the attack, Hamas is sticking to its plan to continue talks on a ceasefire and a hostage deal. According to the Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, the Politburo decided in internal consultations to contact mediators as soon as the security situation had calmed down.
The demands remain unchanged: complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and international guarantees for the future administration of the coastal strip. Hamas is thus setting conditions that would amount to a de facto surrender by Israel – a prospect that Jerusalem categorically rejects.
Immediately after the strike, a meeting between the Hamas leadership and Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani had to be canceled. Al Thani was supposed to present a proposal supported by US President Donald Trump. Instead, Hamas accused Washington of complicity and spoke of an "American-Israeli trick" designed to lure its leadership into a trap.
The fact that several Hamas officials flew in from Turkey and Egypt specifically for this purpose shows how important the planned meeting in Doha was. The strike is therefore likely to have not only caused personnel losses, but also severely disrupted the terrorist organization's internal operations.
For Israel, the attack is more than a tactical success. It shows that the Israeli army is capable of precisely targeting Hamas commanders even abroad – whether in Tehran, Beirut or now in Doha. At the same time, this increases the pressure on Hamas, as it must recognise that its leadership structures are not safe in any capital city in the region.
However, Hamas' decision to remain at the negotiating table despite heavy losses indicates that it needs a diplomatic stage in order to remain politically relevant.