Qatar has strongly denied a White House claim that it was warned ahead of Israel’s strike on Hamas negotiators in its capital, saying the call from Washington came only after explosions had already begun.
The White House said on Tuesday that US President Donald Trump’s administration had notified Qatari officials before the Israeli strike in Doha. The attack hit a residential area in the Qatari capital, killing five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, according to local authorities.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Israel targeted Hamas members “unfortunately located in Doha,” but stressed that unilateral bombing inside Qatar “does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”
Leavitt added that Trump directed his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to inform Qatari officials of the impending strike.
Qatar refutes White House account
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the claim, saying it was not pre-informed. Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari wrote on X that the US call came “during the sound of the explosions.”
Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the notification from Washington was received ten minutes after the attack had already begun. He condemned the incident as “state terrorism” and a violation of Qatari sovereignty.
Trump’s response and Israeli role
Trump later expressed regret, saying he felt “very badly about the location of the attack” and assured Qatar it would not happen again. He clarified that the strike was an independent decision by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“This was a decision made by [Israeli] Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” Trump posted on Truth Social, reiterating that his envoy had tried to warn Qatar but the effort came “too late.”
Hamas reaction and ongoing talks
Hamas confirmed that five members were killed but said its main negotiating team survived. The group accused Israel of deliberately undermining peace efforts, claiming the targeted members had been discussing Trump’s latest ceasefire proposal.
Hamas also blamed Washington, saying it held the US administration “jointly responsible” for the attack due to its support for Israel.
Qatar has been a central mediator in previous truce agreements, including a pause in fighting in November 2023 and a six-week ceasefire in January 2025. Both the Biden and Trump administrations had previously praised Doha’s role in brokering talks.
Following the attack, Trump reiterated that “The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well,” warning Hamas of consequences if it refused.
