Israel Strikes Alleged Hamas Base in Qatar, Sparking Global Outrage

Israel struck Qatar yesterday, working to target several Hamas higher-ups in the region and sparking global outrage from nations across the world.

The strike hit a residential area in the Qatari capital of Doha, doing significant damage to multiple structures and sending thick smoke high into the sky. It involved 15 Israeli fighter jets and 10 bombs– locals reported hearing a total of around eight explosions during the attack. Hamas reported that the strike killed five of its members but confirmed that members of their negotiating team in Doha are still alive and well.

According to Trump and Qatar, he received intel that Israel was about to strike just as the attacks began, meaning that his warning to Qatar was 10 minutes too late to allow them to block the strike. Before these incidents, the US believed that Israel was with them, but the Middle Eastern country has continued to ramp up operations and conduct surprise strikes, pushing their allies further away from them.

Earlier in the war, Israel was given the go-ahead by the US to strike countries like Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, but Qatar seems to be a step forward that has gone too far. The US also maintains a strong alliance with Qatar on the global stage, unlike their relationship with many other Middle Eastern countries. Qatar, a historically neutral nation, often hosts negotiations and peace talks within Doha due to their central location and relatively peaceful neighbors as well– in fact, Israel-Hamas negotiations have been taking place there for months.

Israel also asserted after the attack that they have given up on peace talks to end the war with Hamas, and will now focus all of their effort on fighting the war rather than trying to stop it.

Trump quickly stated that he was "not thrilled" about the incident and is "very unhappy about every aspect of it," as the attack expands the Israel-Hamas War into yet another country– Qatar has reserved the right to respond, and retaliation from Doha could escalate the conflict into a multi-war conflict once again. Additionally, the attack has led to global condemnation, with the entire world denouncing the strike.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the strike a "flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar," while Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries labeled the strike as "brutal Israeli aggression." Furthermore, countries across Europe, including France and the United Kingdom, also condemned the attack, and the Pope weighed in on the situation as well.

However, Israel defended their actions, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claiming that it was necessary to eliminate several Hamas leaders that had helped organize the initial October 7 attacks in 2023.

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