DOHA: Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya killed by Israeli attack in Doha ,The Israeli Defense Forces have acknowledged launching an attack on senior Hamas officials in Doha.
According to official statements, the operation was conducted with careful measures to minimize civilian casualties, utilizing advanced precision munitions and enhanced intelligence gathering.Initial reports from Al Arabiya suggest that Khalil al-Hayya, a prominent Hamas chief negotiator, was among those killed in the strike in Qatar. Social media videos captured loud explosions and scenes of civilians fleeing the area amid the series of air raids carried out by Israel.
Qatar’s foreign ministry issued a strong condemnation, describing the strikes as “cowardly” and targeting residential buildings housing members of Hamas’s political leadership in Doha. Spokesman Majed al-Ansari emphasized that the attack was unjustified and harmful.
Eyewitnesses in Doha reported multiple loud blasts and saw columns of smoke rising over the Katara District. Reports from Axios, citing a senior Israeli official, indicated that the airstrikes aimed to eliminate senior Hamas figures, including Khalil al-Hayya, who is seen as a key Gaza-based leader of the group.
Qatar’s Al Jazeera quoted a Hamas source claiming that the strikes targeted Hamas Gaza ceasefire negotiators. Israeli media also reported that the operation was directed at top Hamas leaders involved in ongoing negotiations.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar warned that recognizing Palestinian statehood would lead to increased instability in the Middle East, amid recent moves by several nations to do so. France’s President Emmanuel Macron announced intentions to recognize Palestine at the upcoming UN General Assembly, while the UK indicated it might follow suit if a ceasefire in Gaza is not achieved.
Saar criticized the recognition efforts, stating, “The push to recognize a Palestinian state only rewards Hamas for the October 7 attack and will destabilize the region further.” His Croatian counterpart, Gordan Grlic Radman, reiterated support for a two-state solution, despite Israel’s opposition to such recognition, emphasizing the complexity of regional peace prospects.
The situation remains tense as military operations continue and diplomatic efforts unfold amidst ongoing fears of escalation across the Middle East.
