Israel targeted Qatar Hamas for being too 'anti-ceasefire'

Israel deliberately bombed the Hamas negotiating team in Qatar to remove what it said were extremists resisting ceasefire proposals for Gaza, Israel's president said yesterday.

- By Sam Kiley

Isaac Herzog, who was in London for yesterday's meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, said the strike was aimed at Khalil al-Hayya, the main Hamas negotiator based in Doha, whom Israel claimed had thwarted attempts at brokering peace.

Also targeted were fellow Hamas politburo members Khaled Mashal and three others who were part of the group negotiating a ceasefire in Qatar via American mediators.

"He was one of the planners and instigators, and he was well informed and involved in October 7 [2023 when Hamas-led militants invaded Israel, killing 1,200 and abducting 250]," said Mr Herzog. "He kept on procrastinating and not getting to a deal by refusing adamantly to get to a deal - sometimes saying 'Yes', sometimes saying 'No', and sometimes saying 'Yes', but his conditions were impossible to meet."

Six people died in Monday’s attack, including a Qatari security official. Hamas claimed that five of its members were also killed, but none of its negotiating team. Mr Herzog could not confirm whether the Hamas leaders were killed in the attack.