For the first time, Israel has struck Qatar.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike on the capital, Doha, was targeting Hamas leadership.
Hamas said the attack killed six people, five of whom were associated with the group, but that its ceasefire negotiating team and leaders survived.
Qatar’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Majed Al Ansari said the strike was “a blatant violation of all international laws and norms”.
Background
Hamas, which Australia lists as a terrorist organisation, governs Gaza. Its political arm has had an office in Qatar since 2012. Qatari officials say it was set up for indirect talks with support from the U.S, Qatar’s ally.
Many of Hamas’ senior leaders remain in Qatar. Its government has given more than $US1 billion to Gaza since 2012, much of which has gone to the Hamas-run government in the enclave.
Multiple international media outlets report Israel approved of and facilitated this funding until the current war.
Qatar has hosted negotiations between Israel and Hamas since October 2023.
Strike
Israel struck a building in Doha on Tuesday afternoon (local time).
Hamas said the strike targeted members of its ceasefire negotiations team, but that they survived.
The group said Israel had killed six people, including the son of its chief negotiator.
Netanyahu posted to X soon after, saying Israel took “full responsibility” for the strike.
Overnight, Hamas claimed responsibility for a shooting attack in Jerusalem earlier this week.
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Two gunmen opened fire at a bus stop, killing six, and were reportedly shot dead by Israeli security forces at the scene. A third suspect was later arrested.
The shooting took place at Ramot Junction, a major intersection in an area that the International Court of Justice has ruled Israel is illegally occupying.
Netanyahu said this shooting, as well as the 7 October 2023 attacks, “fully justified” Israel’s strike on Qatar.
U.S. and Qatar
In a post to his social media site Truth Social, Trump said the strike “does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”
He said Israel had warned U.S. authorities before the strike, and that the U.S. attempted to warn Qatar, but did not alert it in time “to stop the attack”.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry denies the U.S. warned them.
The office of Qatari head of state Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said he had spoken to Trump following the attack, and that both condemned it.
Reaction
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told the ABC on Wednesday morning that the Government “believes this was the wrong thing to do.”
“This is a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, it imperils that work on the ceasefire, and it risks escalation,” Wong said.
The leaders of the UK, France, Türkiye, and the UAE, among others, have all publicly expressed disapproval.
