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Israel has vowed to pursue its enemies “anywhere,” a day after deadly strikes in Qatar targeting senior Hamas figures drew an unusually sharp rebuke from US President Donald Trump.
Defence Minister Israel Katz declared on Wednesday that “Israel’s long arm will act against its enemies anywhere,” insisting that all those involved in Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel would be held accountable. “There is no place where they can hide,” he wrote on X.
Tuesday’s attack in the Gulf state killed six people, including the son and an aide of Hamas negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, three bodyguards and a Qatari security officer, according to the group. Hamas leaders, including Hayya and Khaled Meshaal, were believed to have been inside the targeted building, but the group said they survived and accused Israel of failing in its assassination attempt.
The strike caused diplomatic friction, with the White House confirming Trump disapproved of the operation and had warned Qatar beforehand. Doha, however, insisted it was only notified once the attack had already begun. Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon defended the move, saying it was “not an attack on Qatar; it was an attack on Hamas” and stressing that Israel does not always act “in the interests of the United States.”
The incident threatens to complicate Qatar’s mediation role. Alongside the US and Egypt, it has spearheaded efforts to broker a ceasefire and negotiate the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military continued its bombardment in Gaza City, demolishing another high-rise residential tower. Images showed huge plumes of smoke and residents searching through the rubble for belongings.
The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire. The UN has declared a famine in Gaza City and surrounding areas, while European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen condemned the devastation, warning she would seek sanctions against “extremist” Israeli ministers and curb trade ties. “What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world,” she said.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed her remarks, claiming they sent “the wrong message” and emboldened Hamas.
Qatar’s prime minister said the country reserved the right to respond, calling the attack a “pivotal moment” for the region. Trump, distancing himself from the strike, said he was “not thrilled about the whole situation,” adding that while Hamas’s elimination was a “worthy goal,” he viewed Qatar as a close ally.
Russia and China joined a wave of international condemnation, warning that the strike undermined regional peace efforts.
Hamas’s assault on Israel last October left 1,219 people dead, according to Israeli figures. Of 251 hostages taken, 47 remain in Gaza, including 25 whom Israel says are dead. Israel has since killed at least 64,656 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to credible figures from the Gaza health ministry, cited by the UN.
