Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
In a dramatic first public appearance following an Israeli assassination attempt, senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad has revealed how the movement’s political delegation narrowly escaped death during an airstrike on the Qatari capital, Doha. The attack, which took place during a high-level meeting to discuss a US-brokered proposal, has drawn widespread regional condemnation and raised concerns over a dangerous new precedent in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Speaking on Wednesday evening, Hamad described the moments of chaos and fear as missiles rained down on the delegation’s location. The Hamas negotiating team, along with a group of advisors, was in the middle of deliberations over a proposal recently passed on by Qatari mediators when the attack occurred.
“There was a deafening explosion,” Hamad recalled. “We heard the first impact, then a rapid succession of strikes, around 12 missiles in less than a minute. It was a terrifying moment. We had to flee immediately to avoid being hit.”
Despite the intensity of the assault, Hamad affirmed that the delegation remained committed to its mission. “It was a harsh and difficult experience,” he said, “but it didn’t stop us from continuing our responsibilities.”
The Israeli strike reportedly killed four Hamas members, including Khalil al-Hayya, a senior leader in Gaza and head of the movement’s negotiation team. Also among the dead was a Qatari security officer. Qatar strongly condemned the attack, describing it as a blatant violation of its sovereignty and an affront to international law.
The assassination attempt marks a significant escalation in Israel’s military campaign against Hamas. Traditionally confined to Gaza and parts of the occupied West Bank, Israeli operations now appear to be expanding across borders even into the heart of nations considered mediators in the conflict.
Arab governments were swift in their response. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, and Kuwait all issued statements condemning the airstrike, warning that it poses a grave threat to regional stability. Arab leaders voiced full solidarity with Qatar, underscoring the risk that Israel’s actions could further inflame tensions in an already volatile region.
Hamad warned that Israel’s aggressive posture no longer targets Hamas alone. “This is an assault on the entire Arab world,” he said, calling for a clear and unified stance from regional powers. He criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rhetoric about reshaping the Middle East, saying it should be taken as a serious threat requiring collective Arab action.
Turning to the role of the United States, Hamad expressed deep skepticism toward American mediation efforts. He said Hamas’s experience with the US had been “bitter,” citing repeated retractions and shifts in previously agreed-upon terms. “The proposals lacked credibility,” he said, suggesting that Washington was failing to act as a neutral broker.
Despite the heavy toll of war and continued Israeli operations in Gaza, Hamad emphasized that Hamas remains committed to its principles, particularly in its handling of Israeli prisoners. “We treat them according to our values,” he stated, adding that it is the Israeli government’s actions that ultimately endanger its own captives.
Israel launched its military offensive on Gaza on October 7, 2023, following a major escalation with Hamas. Backed by the United States and several Western countries, the campaign has led to catastrophic human loss and displacement. According to Palestinian health authorities, nearly 231,000 people have been killed or injured, the majority of them women and children. Severe food shortages and the collapse of essential services have caused a famine that has taken the lives of 432 Palestinians, including 141 children.
The recent strike in Doha represents a turning point in the conflict, with implications far beyond Gaza. By targeting political leaders on foreign soil, Israel risks not only international condemnation but also the breakdown of diplomatic efforts in a conflict that has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. Whether this will galvanize a stronger Arab response remains to be seen, but for now, the message from Gaza and its allies is clear: the war is no longer confined to one territory, it is a regional crisis demanding a regional reckoning.
