US President Donald Trump “blessed” Israel’s attack on the leadership of Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in the Qatari capital of Doha despite claims by the American head of state that he had no role in the regime’s aggressive decision, a report says.
The Middle East Eye (MEE) news and analysis website cited both regional and US officials as saying that Washington had been notified of the Israeli attack in advance, with the White House later confirming the beforehand notification of the regime’s onslaught.
The White House also said that Trump believes Israel's strike on Hamas targets in Qatar was unfortunate and he directed his top envoy, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar that the attack was incoming.
“The president views Qatar as a strong ally and friend of the United States, and feels very badly about the location of this attack,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, reading from a statement.
This is while Trump, who spoke with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani after the attack, claimed on his social media platform Truth Social that the decision to strike Qatar was made by Netanyahu and “not by me.”
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Trump wrote hours after the strike.
“I view Qatar as a strong Ally and friend of the US, and feel very badly about the location of the attack,” he added, stressing that the decision to strike inside Qatar was made by the Israeli prime minister. “It was not a decision made by me,” Trump clarified.
Netanyahu's office also claimed the attack was"a wholly independent Israeli operation," adding,"Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility."
Israel launched airstrikes on Tuesday on the headquarters of Hamas in Doha, in what was described as an"assassination operation" that claimed the lives of several Hamas officials as well as civilians in the Persian Gulf Arab country.
Khalil al-Hayya, Khaled Meshal, Zaher Jabarin and other senior Hamas officials survived the attack, MEE reported. The attack killed Hayya’s son, Hammam al-Hayya, and his office director, Jihad Lubbad, wounding several others.
Hamas condemned, in a strongly-worded statement, Israel’s attempted assassination targeting its negotiating delegation in Doha and said the onslaught was a “heinous crime” and a violation of international law.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry also rebuked the “cowardly Israeli attack” on the Hamas headquarters in Doha, calling it a violation of international law and a threat to Qatar's security.
The Israeli onslaught sparked a whirlwind of condemnations from world leaders and regional resistance groups, as well as rights organizations.
