TRANSCRIPT
Israel has struck the Qatari capital of Doha, killing five members of the Hamas ceasefire negotiation team.
The Gulf state, a long-time mediator in ceasefire talks alongside Egypt, condemned the strike as cowardly and a flagrant violation of international law.
Hamas says five of its members had been killed in the attack in Doha, including the son of Hamas' exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya.
It adds that Israel had failed in what Hamas called an attempt to assassinate the group's ceasefire negotiation team.
But the strike marked a dramatic expansion of Israel’s military campaign, hitting a US ally’s capital at a time when delicate ceasefire efforts were under way.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the strike was aimed at Hamas leaders responsible for the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel.
“At noon today, I convened the heads of Israel’s security organisations and authorised a surgical precision strike on the terrorist chiefs of Hamas. These are the same terrorists who planned, launched and celebrated the horrific massacres of October 7th.”
Netanyahu went on to say that Israel bore full responsibility for the strike.
“On this day, as in previous days, Israel acted wholly independently and we take full responsibility for this action. And this action can open the door to an end of the war in Gaza. Israel has accepted the proposal put forward by President Trump to end the war, beginning with the immediate release of all our hostages. If President Trump’s proposal is accepted, the war can end immediately.”
But the US reaction was far more cautious.
The White House acknowledged it had received advance notice of the strike but stressed that Washington did not approve the location.
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt says President Trump was deeply concerned about Israel bombing inside a sovereign ally’s capital.
"This morning, the Trump administration was notified by the United States military that Israel was attacking Hamas, which very unfortunately was located in a section of Doha, the capital of Qatar. Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker peace does not advance Israel or America's goals. However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal. President Trump immediately directed special envoy (Steve) Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did.”
Despite those words of concern, the White House insisted Mr Trump remains committed to ending the war and believes this incident could still create an opening for peace.
The fallout for ceasefire negotiations is immediate.
Qatar hosts Hamas’s political leadership and has been a linchpin in mediating talks for the release of hostages.
Now, those negotiations look more fragile than ever.
The strike on Hamas targets in Doha has angered many of Israel's international allies and neighbours.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty says it only demonstrates the State of Israel has no will or desire to reach a political solution or a ceasefire.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has called the attack an 'intolerable' expansion of violence and an affront to Qatar’s sovereignty, while Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says it is a clear breach of the principles of the United Nations Charter.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong has told Channel 9 the attack risks an escalation of conflict in the region.
"We certainly think this was the wrong thing to do because as you said, it violates Qatar's sovereignty. And Qatar has also been the country that has been so involved in the negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, which is what we all want."
Israel is also signalling it intends to escalate its military operations further, with preparations reported for a new offensive aimed at taking Gaza City.
Udi Goren, a cousin of an Israeli hostage killed in Gaza, Tal Haimi, says Israel's attack on Qatar doesn't help matters.
"To be honest, I'm horrified at the idea that when we finally had an American-led deal that could have led to the release of our hostages, this is the action that took place. I have no regret in seeing these people punished. They are all a part of the people that massacred, that planned what happened on October seven. However, the only way that my cousin Tal will be back for burial is by a negotiated deal. And this is what everybody needs to focus on at this point, no matter be it the mediators, be it Israel and be it anyone else involved."
While diplomats argued over peace proposals, a separate incident off the Tunisian coast drew sharp condemnation from aid groups.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, an activist coalition trying to deliver aid to Gaza by sea, said one of its vessels was struck by a drone.
At a press conference in Tunis, Portuguese crew member Miguel Duarte described what happened.
"I came out of the cover of the deck to see a drone hovering about three or four meters above my head and I called my fellow crew members. Two of us stood there with the drone exactly three or four meters above our heads. Then we saw the drone move to the forward part of the deck. It stood a few seconds on top of a bunch of life jackets and then dropped a bomb. The bomb exploded and there was a big flame. There was a fire onboard immediately.”
No casualties were reported, but activists say the attack was part of a wider attempt to block humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza.
Brazilian activist Thiago Avila says that the flotilla would keep sailing despite the risks.
"What happened last night just shows to the world who we are dealing with. Who is interested in stopping humanitarian aid to get to starving children in Gaza? Who has been assassinating health workers, United Nations workers, civil defense workers, journalists like you? Who has been committing all of these war crimes? And the reason why we keep on sailing is because the reasons that demand a mission like ours to exist, they are not only there, but they are getting worse with the full invasion of Gaza City, the last stage of the ethnic cleansing in Gaza.”
The press conference also drew international attention, with UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese and a grandson of Nelson Mandela joining activists in condemning the attack.
This comes as UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric warns that Gaza is sliding into deeper catastrophe as fighting in Gaza City intensifies, urging urgent international action to prevent further suffering.
[[“It is clear that our warnings that the Gaza Strip could be sliding into an even deeper catastrophe are now materialising. As military operations in Gaza escalate further, the international community still can, and must, act decisively to prevent further suffering. Over the past 48 hours, the Israeli military has struck high-rise buildings, with more families losing their homes or tents. And, as you have seen, the Israeli authorities today ordered everyone in Gaza City to move south. All of this is happening just over two weeks since famine was confirmed in the Gaza governorate."]]
He adds that most Palestinians cannot afford to move.
