In a surprising turn of events, Israel has launched an air raid on Doha, the capital of Qatar, to strike the present Hamas delegation, which up to now has been handling negotiations with the Tel Aviv government for the release of hostages and to arrange a truce.
This attack comes unexpectedly, as the Tel Aviv government had initially hinted at accepting the proposal put forward by the Trump Administration to resolve the ongoing complex situation in Gaza.
Until this morning, the proposal had been deemed interesting by Hamas which was evaluating it for a possible agreement with Israel.
Sunday’s Terrorist Attack in Jerusalem
But evidently, yesterday’s terrorist attack in Jerusalem has turned the tables for the Tel Aviv government, leading to a decisive confrontation with the Palestinian movement which publicly claimed responsibility for the attack.
The raid in Doha has stirred international outcry and understandably so, as it was launched in a third country that had so far remained neutral in the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and hosted the main headquarters for negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis in its capital.
Among the targets of the Israeli attack is Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas in exile and principle negotiator for the Palestinians, believed to have been killed.
According to Qatari sources, the attack was launched while representatives of Hamas were gathering to discuss the U.S. offer to release the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of hundreds of fighters currently imprisoned and initiate a significant truce strategy.
International Reactions
Qatar strongly denounced the attack, speaking out against this act of cowardice that openly violates international law and puts the safety of Qatari citizens and foreign residents at risk.
The United Nations, through Secretary-General Guterres, termed Israel’s actions a blatant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Middle Eastern country.
Israel, on its part, insists it had informed the Doha government and Trump Administration about the attack.
Possible Developments and the Middle East Situation
The risk now is reigniting conflict with Iran in addition to an ongoing conflict with the Houthi of Yemen who have undergone substantial decimation of their political-military establishment from a series of Israeli raids in response to missile launches and other attacks on the country.
