In a statement on X, the Israeli military said the operation was carried out in cooperation with the Shin Bet (internal security agency), using precision munitions and based on additional intelligence. It described the targeted Hamas leaders as longtime figures in the group, directly responsible for the October 7, 2023 attack and for managing the ongoing war against Israel.

According to Israel’s Channel 7, the strike occurred during a Hamas leadership meeting in Doha to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.

On September 7, President Trump had issued what he called a “final warning” to Hamas to accept a deal for the release of Israeli hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Israeli channels reported that several senior Hamas figures attended the meeting, including Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled Meshaal, Mohammad Darwish, Razi Hammad, and Izzat al-Risheq. Channel 12 said Meshaal was among those targeted, while Channel 14 reported that Zaher Jabarin was also hit, noting Israeli officials are closely monitoring the outcome.

The attack, codenamed “Summit of Fire,” was carried out by fighter jets, Israeli media said.

For its part, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry condemned what it described as a “cowardly attack” targeting residential compounds of Hamas political bureau members in Doha, calling it a “criminal assault, a flagrant violation of international law, and a grave threat to the safety of Qataris and residents.”

The ministry stressed that Qatar “will not tolerate reckless Israeli behavior” and will not accept any act that endangers its security or sovereignty, adding that top-level investigations are ongoing and further details will be announced once available.

Alaraby TV reported that Hamas’s negotiating delegation survived the Israeli assassination attempt.

In its statement, the Israeli army claimed the leaders targeted in Doha were responsible for directing Operation “al-Aqsa Flood,” and vowed, along with the Shin Bet, to continue working “decisively” until Hamas is eliminated.

This operation comes more than a year after Israel assassinated Hamas’s political bureau chief, Ismail Haniyeh, on July 31, 2024, by striking his residence in Tehran, where he had been attending the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, alongside Arab and international delegations. Hamas at the time accused Israel of carrying out the attack.