A senior Qatari official narrowly escaped being killed in the failed Israeli strike in Doha, Gulf sources said Friday, as new details point to an intelligence gap that left top Hamas leaders untouched.
Contrary to early reports suggesting Hamas officials were in another room, a senior Qatari source said the targeted leaders were actually in an entirely different building. Hamas later confirmed that its Gaza leader, Khalil al-Hayya, had not been killed.
Footage of the Strike in Doha
Those who died included al-Hayya’s son and other aides preparing material for an upcoming Hamas leadership meeting. Some had arrived from Turkey to discuss a proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump. The only non-Hamas casualty was a Qatari bodyguard.
According to the source, the strike nearly had graver consequences. Just hours before, a meeting had been postponed that would have placed senior Hamas officials alongside the Qatari official overseeing ties with Hamas and Israel. The official is nicknamed “Abdullah Cohen” by colleagues for his frequent visits to Israel.
“It was only by sheer luck that he wasn’t there,” the source said, adding that the official is considered close to Qatar’s prime minister, Mohammed al-Thani. His death, they said, would have triggered a far deeper crisis with Israel.
Security officials in Israel acknowledged the raid carried inherent risks. Even if successful, they said, it would have revealed sensitive intelligence capabilities, including Israel’s knowledge of Hamas safe houses in Doha.
Conversations with four Israeli intelligence and security officials revealed harsh criticism of the decision to proceed. Some questioned how striking Hamas leaders abroad were expected to secure the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, or avoid a severe Qatari response to a breach of its sovereignty.
Following the attack, Israeli officials briefed reporters that Hamas’s political bureau in Doha had obstructed a hostage deal, suggesting the strike aimed to eliminate its influence and leave military commander Izz ad-Din Haddad to lead talks. But sources familiar with Hamas’s internal workings said this claim runs contrary to the bureau’s recent role and cooperation with leaders in Gaza.