Almost a year ago, I interviewed Hamas leader and chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya in Doha. I met him in a house not far from the building that Israel struck on Tuesday night. Since the start of the Gaza war, Khalil al-Hayya has been the main negotiator for Hamas. Through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, he exchanged messages with Israelis and Americans. Now, at a time when there were signs of a possible ceasefire, Khalil al-Hayya and his colleagues were targeted. They were only a short distance away from the Israeli and American delegations. At the moment of the attack, Khalil al-Hayya and Hamas’s senior leadership were discussing a new American diplomatic proposal for a Gaza ceasefire, the release of hostages, and potential progress in peace talks. Israel’s announcement of the strike on Doha immediately fueled speculation on social media that the American offer was nothing more than a pretext to gather Hamas’s leadership in one place and strike them.
On October 3 last year, Khalil al-Hayya entered a small house to meet me. I was surprised that he had very little security with him. Before the meeting, we had to hand over our phones, and inside that house, only two bodyguards accompanied him. Outside, Qatari police officers were smoking cigarettes in an SUV. That was Khalil’s entire security detail. Even a hundred bodyguards could not stop an airstrike, yet Khalil al-Hayya and his companions appeared calm and confident. The reason was that Qatar was considered a safe haven where they could move freely without fear. On July 31, 2024, Israel killed Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas political leader who was in Tehran at the time. He was leaving after attending the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. During the Gaza war, I wondered whether sitting in the same room with Khalil al-Hayya might be dangerous. But at the same time, I thought Qatar was safe. Over the past decades, Qatar has earned a reputation as the “Switzerland of the Middle East,” where even enemies can sit together and strike diplomatic deals. The Americans had also negotiated with the Afghan Taliban in Doha. After the October 7, 2023 attack, Qatar became the hub of diplomatic efforts for nearly two years, hosting multiple ceasefire talks. Peace negotiations conducted through President Trump’s adviser, Steve Witkoff, failed badly. Now they are on the brink of collapse. A senior Western diplomat remarked, “There is no diplomacy anymore.” It should be noted that Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said that Qatar was not informed in advance of the Israeli strike on Doha. In a message on X, he said, “A call from a U.S. official came only when the sounds of explosions were already being heard.” Earlier, the White House stated that the U.S. government had informed Qatar about the strike beforehand, but the warning was delayed. According to a statement, Trump had asked his special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, to notify Qatar about the Israeli airstrike.
Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayyah, who was targeted in an Israeli attack in Doha
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Israelis that the enemy would never sleep peacefully and that those who ordered the October 7 attacks on Israel would pay the price. Israeli operations in Gaza are intensifying. Just hours before the strike in Doha, the Israeli army ordered all Palestinians to leave Gaza City and move south. It is believed that nearly one million civilians could be affected. In a televised address, Netanyahu told Palestinians in Gaza: “Do not stop because of these killers. Stand up for your rights and your future. Make peace with us. Accept President Trump’s proposal.” “Do not worry, you can do this. We promise you a different future. But you must remove these people from the path. If you do, there will be no limit to our shared future.” For Palestinians inside Gaza, if they can even hear him, these words would sound hollow. Israel has destroyed not only hundreds of thousands of their homes but also many hospitals, universities, and schools. Gaza is suffering from hunger, and there is famine in Gaza City. Forcing people into displacement during a humanitarian crisis will only increase the pressure on civilians. Israel has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians in Gaza, the majority of them civilians. Netanyahu faces arrest warrants at the International Criminal Court for war crimes, while the International Court of Justice is also investigating Israel for genocide. The strike in Doha signals that Netanyahu and his government will advance not only in Gaza but on all fronts. He is confident that with U.S. support, his army will carry out its objectives. The White House expressed regret over the attack. Qatar is a valuable U.S. ally, hosting an American military base where the U.S. has invested heavily. Yet Netanyahu may be wondering whether Donald Trump would actually oppose him on this. Netanyahu believes Trump is the only leader who truly listens to him. Israeli operations in Gaza continue. This month, Britain, France, Canada, Australia, and other Western countries are preparing to recognize Palestine as a free state. Netanyahu’s nationalist cabinet allies could repeat their demand that the occupied West Bank be annexed into Israel.
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