An Israeli attack kills five Hamas members in Qatar as they were negotiating a possible ceasefire in Gaza.

BarcelonaIsrael launched an attack on Doha on Tuesday afternoon, targeting the negotiating delegation of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which was meeting in the Qatari capital to discuss the US-proposed ceasefire in Gaza. Hamas confirmed that five of its members were killed, but none were part of the negotiating delegation. "We confirm the enemy's failure to assassinate our brothers in the negotiating delegation. Meanwhile, several of our martyred brothers have risen to the highest ranks of glory," the group said in a statement.

A member of Hamas's political bureau assured Al Jazeera that among the dead were Hamam Khalil al-Hayya, son of one of Hamas's top leaders, Khalil al-Hayya, who was leading the negotiations, and Gihad Labad, the director of the office of the movement's chief negotiator. In addition, the Qatari Ministry of the Interior reported the death of a sixth victim, a member of its security forces.

Several witnesses report hearing several explosions in Doha on Tuesday and smoke rising over the Katara district of the Qatari capital at around 4 p.m. local time. "The meeting was attacked while President Trump's ceasefire proposal was being discussed," a senior Hamas source told Al Jazeera. Shortly after, the Israeli military confirmed it had carried out a "precise strike against senior leadership" of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, without giving further details. "For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have spearheaded the terrorist organization's operations and are directly responsible for the brutal massacre of October 7 (2023), in addition to orchestrating and managing the war against the State of Israel," the Israeli military statement said, adding that "prior to the bombing" civilians, including the use of precision munitions and additional intelligence information."

Israel has informed the United States administration that it intended to attack Qatar, a White House spokeswoman has confirmed, claiming that Donald Trump has described the attack as "unfortunate." The US president reportedly ordered the special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar that the attack was imminent, a version that Qatar denies. The Qatari foreign ministry spokesman maintains that the warning occurred "as explosions rang out from the Israeli attack on Doha." Trump also reportedly spoke to the Emir of Qatar after the events to assure him that "something like this" would not happen again. to occur on their territory.

Mass condemnation

The attack was seen as an attempt to sabotage ceasefire negotiations. The Qatari government called the Israeli attack "cowardly" and warned that it constituted a "flagrant violation of international law." In a message to X, the advisor to the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Ministry spokesman, Majed Al Ansari, asserted that the bombing poses a "serious threat to the security" of Qatari residents and warned that the Qatari state "will not tolerate such reckless attitude" by Israel or violations. Several Arab countries have expressed similar views, rushing to condemn the Israeli aggression. The United Arab Emirates, which normalized relations with Israel in 2020, called the bombing of Doha "flagrant and cowardly." In contrast, Saudi Arabia described the Israeli aggression against Qatar's sovereignty as "brutal." European countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, and Spain have also condemned the attack for what they consider a "violation of Qatar's sovereignty."

The irreverence of the Israeli forces has reached the Vatican. Pope Leo, usually discreet on the international scene, vehemently expressed his concern: "There is truly serious news right now: the Israeli attack against some Hamas leaders in Qatar," said the pontiff from his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo. And he denounced: "The situation is very serious." In the same vein, the leader of the United Nations, António Guterres, considered the attacks a "flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar." "All parties must work to achieve a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, not to destroy it," he denounced.

On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took full responsibility for the attack in a message published on X: "Israel started it, Israel carried it out, and Israel assumes full responsibility." The ultra-right ministers of his executive, Itamar Ben-Gvir (of National Security) and Bezalel Smotrich (of Finance) –who Spain has banned entry this Tuesday– welcomed the "historic" and "correct" decision to attack the Hamas leadership in Doha and warned that "terrorists" will have no immunity "anywhere in the world." While the bombing violates the United Nations Charter's prohibition of aggression against independent states, in a joint statement the three leaders asserted that the operation was "fully justified given that Hamas leaders initiated and organized the October 7 massacre."

The operation in Doha comes the same day that Israel ordered residents of Gaza City to evacuate the city center ahead of a new military offensive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing ahead with his plan to take control of the entire city, the capital of the Gaza Strip, despite efforts in Qatar to reach an agreement with Hamas on a ceasefire. These efforts have just been thwarted by the bombing of the negotiating delegation in Qatar.

More evacuation orders

"To the residents of Gaza: Take this opportunity and listen carefully. We have warned you. Get out!" Netanyahu himself said. In fact, according to the updated UN map, the evacuation order issued Tuesday by the Israeli army affects the entire northern part of the Strip, including all of Gaza City, but also Jabalia and the rest of the Strip up to its northern border and the territories south of Gaza City to the center of the Strip. However, the southern area is not a safe region for internally displaced persons either; most of it falls within the demarcated combat areas. The Israeli army has ordered residents of Gaza City to move to the southern area of Al Mawasi in Khan Yunis, which it has designated as a "humanitarian zone."

The prime minister asserted that Israel has no choice but to complete the job and defeat Hamas, given that the Palestinian militant group has refused to hand over its weapons. Hamas said it would not disarm until an independent Palestinian state was established.

The new evacuation order has caused panic and confusion among residents of Gaza City, where many have decided to stay despite everything because there is no other safe place. Others have begun to head south. "Despite last week's bombing, I have resisted leaving, but now I will go to be with my daughter," Um Mohamed, a 55-year-old mother of six, told Reuters.

"One million people are forced to go to an uninhabitable area, called 'humanitarian,' in a massive forced displacement," Oxfam Intermón denounced in a statement issued on Tuesday, calling the evacuation orders "impossible and illegal." "The displacement orders communicated in leaflets dropped from the sky or published on social media point to the gravity of what is about to happen," the NGO's statement added.

Residents of Gaza City have already been displaced several times since the war began in October 2023, moving between the north and south of the coastal enclave, in a worsening humanitarian crisis that has led to famine. International experts believe that Israel's plan, which includes the demilitarization of the entire Strip as Israel takes control, could worsen the humanitarian situation for the Strip's 2.2 million people, who face a critical risk of famine.

Netanyahu said Israeli forces are organizing and assembling in Gaza City for a ground "maneuver," but that there had been no further tank advances to deepen the ground offensive as of Tuesday. Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz warned Monday that the military would intensify its campaign into a "powerful hurricane." If Hamas does not release its last hostages and surrenders.

Hopes had been pinned on mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire that would avert Israel's plan to occupy all of Gaza City. Qatar has been pressing Hamas leaders to "respond positively" to the latest ceasefire deal proposed by the United States during talks on Monday in Doha, an official briefed on the talks told Reuters. Israel says it has already accepted the proposal, which would see Hamas return all hostages on the first day of the ceasefire.