Israel faces international condemnation following attacks on Hamas in Doha, including from Trump
On 9 September, Israel carried out an air strike in the Katara neighbourhood of Doha targeting the mansion where the ideological leaders of the 7 October 2023 attacks were sheltering, who were also evaluating one of the US-backed ceasefire proposals.
After the details of what happened became known, several countries condemned Israel's action, calling it ‘state terrorism.’
An unprecedented attack
The bombing, which left at least five people dead, including Khalil Al-Hayya's son, generated strong international condemnation and threatens to derail the ongoing negotiations.
The attack, carried out with more than 10 fighter jets, targeted Khalil al-Hayya, the interim leader of Hamas in Gaza; Zaher Jabarin, the organisation's finance chief; and Khaled Meshaal, the former leader of the Political Bureau in exile, who is linked to the Syrian faction and has been in exile in Qatar for several years. Hamas said that neither he nor the negotiating delegation had been killed, but that his son and his office manager were among the five members who died.
Israel's attack raises questions about US security guarantees in the region. In addition, dozens of relatives of the hostages demonstrated and expressed concern about the fate of the remaining captives. Specifically, the mother of one of the 20 hostages—who are believed to be still alive—expressed her fear that the Israeli attack could have been ‘her son's death sentence.’
However, Benjamin Netanyahu insists that the attacks were ‘an act of peace.’
The United States and Qatar caught off guard
Contrary to reports that emerged yesterday after the attack, US President Donald Trump said he received no prior warning of the Israeli attack on Doha, an essential mediator in the talks between Israel and Hamas.
‘I don't like this whole situation,’ Trump told reporters last night during a rare visit to a restaurant in Washington. ‘We want the prisoners back, but we don't like how everything was handled today.’
Despite the violation of Qatari airspace, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani reaffirmed the country's determination to continue playing its role as mediator.
Al-Thani described the bombing as ‘state terrorism’ and announced that a legal commission had been formed to respond formally, although he condemned Washington for communicating the offensive 10 minutes after it began, considering it ‘100% treason,’ insinuating that Donald Trump lied when he said he was not aware of the situation, and hinting that Netanyahu falsified his statements claiming it was an independent Israeli attack.
Total rejection by the international community
Russia strongly condemned the attack, labelling it a ‘serious violation’ of international law and the UN Charter. It described the action as an interference in Qatar's sovereignty with a high risk of escalating regional instability.
China also lamented the bombing, stating that it represents a dangerous escalation. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson called for rapprochement and de-escalation, but stressed that Israel's actions must not go unpunished.
سمو الأمير المفدى يتقدم مستقبلي أخيه صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن زايد آل نهيان رئيس دولة الإمارات العربية المتحدة الشقيقة، لدى وصوله والوفد المرافق مطار الدوحة الدولي. https://t.co/3dk6tIu8lT pic.twitter.com/xx5bfDjz0N
— الديوان الأميري (@AmiriDiwan) September 10, 2025
In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the attack as a violation of Qatar's sovereignty and a threat to the stability of the region. He insisted on the urgency of a ceasefire, the release of hostages and a substantial increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza. He also denied that the British government was aware of the attack.
Meanwhile, Turkey said the bombing was ‘a message to the entire Middle East’, backing Israel's more aggressive tone towards Hamas.
Unity and outrage in the Arab world
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have not issued explicit condemnations, but have expressed concern about the escalation of the conflict and emphasised the importance of respecting the sovereignty of Arab countries, such as Qatar.
‘We are committed to the stability of the region, but the rights of the Palestinians must be respected. Israel must act responsibly,’ said Yousef Al Otaiba, the UAE's ambassador to the United States, on social media.
Iraq, for its part, has strongly condemned the Israeli attack, describing the action as ‘direct aggression’ and stressing that the international community must take decisive action against Israel. ‘The attack on Doha is not just an attack on Qatar, it is an attack on the sovereignty of the entire Arab region. We will act with unity and firmness,’ Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said on Iraqi public television.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi emphasised that ‘Israel's military actions do not promote peace in the region. We urge all parties to commit to an immediate ceasefire.’
Algeria and Tunisia, nations with strong historical and political ties to the Palestinian cause, have been clear in their rejection of the Israeli attack. Kuwait, for its part, has been emphatic in its condemnation of the Israeli bombing, stressing that "Qatar, as a sovereign nation, has the right to defend its territory and security.
Most of these countries agree on the urgent need for a ceasefire and support Qatar's efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
