Israel has carried out unprecedented airstrikes on Qatar, targeting what it claimed were senior leaders of Hamas, in an escalation that threatens to destabilise the Middle East and derail fragile mediation efforts.
Videos shared on social media showed residents in the Qatari capital, Doha, fleeing in panic as explosions lit up the night sky. Huge plumes of smoke rose over the city, with unverified footage depicting buildings reduced to rubble and ambulances racing to the scene.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency said they had “conducted a precise strike targeting the senior leadership of Hamas.” Israel accused Qatar of harbouring members of the Palestinian movement’s political bureau, which has been involved in ceasefire negotiations with international mediators.
Qatar strongly condemned the raid, describing it as a “cowardly act and a flagrant violation of all international law.” Its Foreign Ministry said the attack deliberately targeted a civilian building in a residential area. Doha stressed that the strike violated its sovereignty and undermined its role as a mediator in efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and facilitate the release of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas.
International media reports have described the strikes as “unprecedented,” noting that it is the first time Israel has directly targeted Qatari territory. The BBC reported that the assault could mark a dangerous turning point in the war, while Al Jazeera broadcast live coverage of chaos on Doha’s streets, showing terrified civilians running for cover. Reuters noted that the attack could strain Israel’s relations with Gulf states, many of which have resisted normalising ties since the outbreak of the Gaza war last year.
South Africa, a vocal critic of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, swiftly condemned the attack. In a statement released by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Pretoria described the strikes as “illegal and unprovoked.”
“This attack on Qatari territory constitutes a blatant violation of international law, breaching the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, while also compromising the safeguarding of civilians as outlined in the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law,” DIRCO spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said.
South Africa reiterated its support for Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and called for an immediate ceasefire. “We urge Israel to cease its genocidal war against the Palestinian people and return to the path of negotiations for a just peace,” the statement read.
The assault on Doha comes amid intensifying fighting in Gaza, where the death toll has surpassed 40,000 since Israel launched its military campaign in October 2024 following Hamas’ attacks on southern Israel. According to the United Nations, more than 70% of those killed have been women and children, and over 1.8 million people in Gaza have been displaced.
Qatar has been one of the few states able to engage both Hamas and Western governments, often hosting indirect negotiations aimed at brokering ceasefires. Analysts warn that by striking inside Qatar, Israel risks alienating a key mediator and inflaming regional tensions.
“The strike on Doha is unprecedented and risky,” Middle East analyst Lina Khatib told The Guardian. “It signals Israel’s willingness to widen the battlefield, but it could also backfire diplomatically by hardening opposition across the Gulf and beyond.”
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed alarm at the developments, urging “maximum restraint” and warning that any attack on a sovereign state outside the theatre of conflict could have “catastrophic consequences for regional stability.”
With Qatar’s mediation role under threat, hopes for a negotiated truce in Gaza appear to be fading. Instead, the region faces the prospect of further escalation, with the risk of drawing in additional states. For South Africa, the strikes reinforce Pretoria’s long-standing position at the International Court of Justice, where it has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. The government has vowed to continue pressing for international accountability while rallying African and Global South allies to oppose what it calls Israel’s “flagrant violations” of international law.
As the smoke settles over Doha, the world watches anxiously, fearing that this latest escalation may mark the beginning of an even more dangerous phase in the Middle East conflict.
