Israel attacked Hamas leadership in Qatar but it was unclear how successful the strike had been. AFP
Israel attacked Hamas leadership in Qatar but it was unclear how successful the strike had been. AFP
Israel attacked Hamas leadership in Qatar but it was unclear how successful the strike had been. AFP
Israel attacked Hamas leadership in Qatar but it was unclear how successful the strike had been. AFP

'No major achievement': Israelis lukewarm on Qatar strike


Thomas Helm
  • English
  • Arabic

There were mixed reactions in Israel after the country bombed Hamas leadership in the Qatari capital of Doha on Tuesday, in one of the most consequential moments of the Gaza war.

Israelis were on tenterhooks waiting for news on the fate of Hamas's most senior officials, who were thought to have been in Doha discussing ceasefire proposals.

Initial reports in Israeli media suggested officials were optimistic that key targets had been killed. From Wednesday morning, however, reports changed with an increasing number suggesting that the mission had failed, as Hamas claimed.

“We’ll have to wait to see what the results are and what they mean in terms of Israel’s international relations and Hamas’s power,” Jerusalem resident Ilan told The National.

Palestinians search in the rubble of the Tiba tower after Israeli strikes on Gaza city. AFP
Palestinians search in the rubble of the Tiba tower after Israeli strikes on Gaza city. AFP

“Hamas is going to have to make some sort of deal at some point, because otherwise it’s just going to keep escalating and I don’t think Israel is ready to stop,” he added, referring to Israel’s operation to conquer Gaza city.

“They just potentially took out the leaders in Qatar, who have amassed billions in dollars from the Palestinian people and the international community. An end to the war is on the cusp, it can’t go on much longer.”

Piper, also from Jerusalem, argued that Qatar had helped Hamas by allowing senior leaders to reside in Doha, a widespread view among Israelis since the beginning of the war.

“From what I know, Qatar is the reason these Hamas guys are even alive. They could have ended it all years ago,” she said.

Daniel, from Tel Aviv, raised US objections to the strike. “I’m not surprised at any form of death-from-the-sky by Israel at this point in time, but I was very surprised at how irreverent Netanyahu can be when it comes to Donald Trump’s will. You do not spit in the face of a US president like that,” he said.

“There’s no talk about the sovereignty of Qatar. It’s never really about the sovereignty of any nation, let alone one like Qatar that most Israelis view as an enemy nation.”

He described Israelis as being indifferent to the attack. “All the organisers of October 7 have already to a large extent been eliminated. Israelis don’t really understand who we are killing when it comes to Hamas because it has become a faceless organisation. The big symbols have been taken out. So I don’t think Netanyahu can spin this into a major achievement.”

Much criticism in Israel focused on what the strike means for the fate of the few remaining hostages still held captive in Gaza. Polling shows that most Israelis prioritise their well-being over continuing to fight Hamas.

The forum representing most of the families of captives wrote an open letter, signed by several Israeli Nobel Prize laureates, to Mr Trump, calling on him to act to stop the war and release their loved ones.

Family members of Israeli hostages have repeatedly called for an end to the Gaza war. EPA
Family members of Israeli hostages have repeatedly called for an end to the Gaza war. EPA

“The hostages are running out of time. We need your strong leadership to set a clear deadline and end this nightmare for the hostages, the families, the people of Israel and all the people of the region,” the letter said, alluding to the strike on Qatar and Israel’s operation in Gaza city.

There was nonetheless great resignation about the fate of the captives. Israel’s oldest newspaper, Haaretz, published an editorial calling the strike a “death sentence” for the hostages.

“This is just another way to make sure that there will be no hostage talks. Netanyahu doesn’t want them but he has to play as though he does,” Moriel, from Tel Aviv, said.

“Nothing surprises me any more. I look at the government like they’re crazy pit bulls. There’s no logic,” Moriel added. “Nobody cares. We’re in a complete state of apathy.”

Biog:

Age: 34

Favourite superhero: Batman

Favourite sport: anything extreme

Favourite person: Muhammad Ali 

Bookshops: A Reader's History by Jorge Carrión (translated from the Spanish by Peter Bush),
Biblioasis

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League final:

Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports

JAPAN SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa

LIVERPOOL%20TOP%20SCORERS
%3Cp%3E(Premier%20League%20only)%3Cbr%3EMohamed%20Salah%20129%3Cbr%3ERobbie%20Fowler%20128%3Cbr%3ESteven%20Gerrard%20120%3Cbr%3EMichael%20Owen%20118%3Cbr%3ESadio%20Mane%2090%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'O'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Zeina%20Hashem%20Beck%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20112%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Penguin%20Books%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers

- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100

- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100

- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India

- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100

- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth

MATCH INFO

AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports

Can NRIs vote in the election?

Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad

Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency

There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas

Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas

A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians

Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.

This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India

A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians

However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed

The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas

Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online

The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online

The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation

Gulf Men's League final

Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Q&A with Dash Berlin

Welcome back. What was it like to return to RAK and to play for fans out here again?
It’s an amazing feeling to be back in the passionate UAE again. Seeing the fans having a great time that is what it’s all about.

You're currently touring the globe as part of your Legends of the Feels Tour. How important is it to you to include the Middle East in the schedule?
The tour is doing really well and is extensive and intensive at the same time travelling all over the globe. My Middle Eastern fans are very dear to me, it’s good to be back.

You mix tracks that people know and love, but you also have a visually impressive set too (graphics etc). Is that the secret recipe to Dash Berlin's live gigs?
People enjoying the combination of the music and visuals are the key factor in the success of the Legends Of The Feel tour 2018.

Have you had some time to explore Ras al Khaimah too? If so, what have you been up to?
Coming fresh out of Las Vegas where I continue my 7th annual year DJ residency at Marquee, I decided it was a perfect moment to catch some sun rays and enjoy the warm hospitality of Bab Al Bahr.

 

Updated: September 10, 2025, 3:41 PM