Hamas is now more isolated than at any point in its history, after Israel struck at the group’s leadership in Qatar and left its last major foreign backer reeling.“It essentially leaves Hamas without a high-level negotiating body or decision-making body, specifically on the political side,” said Megan Sutcliffe, regional expert with the Sibylline strategic risk group.“What remains are the militant elements in Gaza, but their political wing is gravely undermined.”
Military and intelligence chiefs in Israel confirmed they carried out “a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organisation” in Doha. Members of its negotiation team, including exiled Gaza chief and top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, are believed to have been eliminated. Other reports suggest many more senior figures may have been seriously injured or killed.
According to sources, the strikes were carried out by some 15 Israeli fighter jets, which launched more than 10 missiles between 2.45pm and 3.45pm local time, targeting Hamas headquarters in Doha’s Katara district and at least one other site.
A White House official confirmed that the Trump administration was “notified” in advance, though it is widely believed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received the “green light” from President Trump himself.
Qatar is also believed to have been warned beforehand, with assurances that the strikes would be “forensic” – hitting Hamas headquarters while leaving surrounding civilian infrastructure untouched.
Crucially, the operation followed yesterday’s bus bombing in Jerusalem, claimed by Hamas, which killed six and injured more than a dozen.
Israeli officials framed the strike as both retaliation and part of a wider effort to dismantle Hamas’s external scaffolding.
Sutcliffe noted: “Trump was so frustrated with the lack of progress towards a ceasefire that he greenlit this. It shows Israel will not accept a stalled process.”
Dr Ariel Admoni, a Qatar expert at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS), said the decision to hit Doha marked a turning point: “It was the last resort. Everyone knew Qatar was aiding Hamas, but it was considered untouchable. By attacking Doha, Israel and the US have made a game-changing statement.”
The move leaves Hamas facing a strategic dead end. With Iran unwilling to intervene directly and Qatar exposed, its leadership faces collapse. Ceasefire negotiations, already faltering, now appear moribund.
“I’d be extremely surprised if we saw any ceasefire progress in the coming days,” Sutcliffe warned. “The operation into Gaza City will almost certainly proceed.”
