Saudi television network Al Arabiya reports that senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s lead negotiator and former deputy to Yahya Sinwar, was killed in an attack in Doha. According to Palestinian sources, other high-ranking Hamas figures were also present in the targeted building, including Khaled Meshaal, Muhammad Darwish, Razi Hamad, and Izzat al-Rishq.
Conflicting reports emerged from Saudi channel Al Hadath, which stated that Hamas leaders Zaher Jabarin, Khaled Mashaal, and Nizar Awdallah were also killed in the Israeli strike on the Qatari capital. However, a Hamas source told Al Jazeera that the group’s leadership, led by Khalil al-Hayya, survived the attack while meeting in Qatar to discuss a ceasefire proposal for Gaza from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement claiming full responsibility for the operation, declaring, “Today’s action against the senior terrorist leaders of Hamas was a completely independent operation by Israel. Israel initiated it, Israel carried it out, and Israel takes full responsibility.”
According to sources from Israel’s Channel 12, U.S. President Donald Trump had given a “green light” for the Israeli operation in Qatar. The Qatari government condemned the strike on the Hamas headquarters in Doha as a “cowardly” act and a “flagrant violation of international law,” announcing it has opened a high-level investigation into the incident.
An Israeli official confirmed to Channel 12 that a targeted killing operation was conducted against senior Hamas figures on Qatari soil. The Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet security agency stated that the military “targeted the leadership of the terrorist organization Hamas.”
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the Israeli attack, calling it a “flagrant violation” of sovereignty. Pope Francis, speaking to journalists outside Villa Barberini in Castel Gandolfo, expressed grave concern over the situation, stating, “In these minutes there is very serious news… We do not know where things are going, we must pray.”