Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that Israel carried out a strike against Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar, following deadly attacks in Jerusalem and Gaza.
Netanyahu explained that after the attacks, he directed security agencies to prepare for such an operation with Defense Minister Israel Katz’s oversight. He stated that in consultation with security chiefs, the decision was made to act on an operational opportunity, and that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) carried out the strike “with precision and in an optimal manner.”
Netanyahu and Katz stressed that the action was justified because the targeted Hamas leaders had orchestrated the October 7 massacre and continued to launch attacks on Israel, including taking responsibility for Monday’s killings in Jerusalem.
Monday, after the murderous attacks in Jerusalem and Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu directed all security elements to prepare for the possibility of striking the Hamas leadership. The Defense Minister fully supported this initiative.
The Prime Minister and the Defense Minister believed that the action was necessary and fully justified given the fact that the same Hamas leadership that initiated and organized the October 7 massacre has not ceased since then from launching murderous operations against the State of Israel and its citizens, including taking responsibility for the murder of our citizens in yesterday’s terrorist attack in Jerusalem.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA, Shin Bet) issued a joint statement saying they conducted a “precise strike targeting the senior leadership of the Hamas terrorist organization.” The agencies noted the targets were directly responsible for the October 7 massacre and for ongoing attacks against Israel. “Prior to the strike, measures were taken in order to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and additional intelligence,” the statement said. The operation was later named “Summit of Fire.”
Until Tuesday, Israel had refrained from targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, where senior figures have lived for years in exile. Qatar has served as a key mediator in negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the release of hostages, working alongside Egypt. Former President Joe Biden designated Qatar as a “major non-NATO ally” in 2022, and President Trump visited Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base in May.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned the strike, with spokesman Majed Al Ansari saying it “targeted residential buildings housing several members of the Political Bureau of Hamas.” He called it a “criminal assault” and a “blatant violation of all international laws and norms.”
Netanyahu emphasized Israel’s independence in the decision: “Today’s action against the top terrorist chieftains of Hamas was a wholly independent Israeli operation. Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility.”
The strike came after Israel accepted, and Hamas rejected, terms proposed by President Donald Trump for ending the war in Gaza through the release of remaining hostages and the disarmament of Hamas. Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed Tuesday that Israel was prepared to end the war “tomorrow” if hostages were released and Hamas disarmed, warning that Gaza City would otherwise face destruction.
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