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Israel struck Qatar’s capital Doha in missile attacks on Tuesday Sep. 9, that said were targeted at senior leaders of Hamas, including negotiators from the Palestinian group who have been engaged in talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in Gaza. Fortunately, Hamas succeeded in exposing the American ambush trap and Hamas was able to deceive America and Israel.
Israel’s military confirmed that it had fired missiles into Doha, targeting a compound believed to be hosting Hamas political leaders. Shortly after, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning the attack according to Al Jazeera.
The assassination attempt on the negotiating delegation failed after the Hamas delegation leadership became suspicious of the US' insistence that Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya attend the meeting inside a private villa rather than in a hotel tower as was customary.
Therefore, security personnel and a bodyguard were sent with the leadership's cell phones to the designated private villa. Hamas was able to deceive America and Israel.
This reinforced the Hamas leadership's suspicions that an explosive device ambush was planned inside the villa, rather than in the hotel towers.
Hamas was able to send members, and the bodyguard carried the cell phones of Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya and smuggled them into the targeted villa.
Immediately after the bodyguard entered with the cell phones, the warplanes bombed the villa with 15 missiles, destroying the entire building in cooperation with America.
The result was the survival of the entire Hamas leadership delegation, headed by Dr. Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Meshaal, from the assassination attempt in Qatar.
Netanyahu stated that the US was given advance notice. It would be virtually impossible to believe that Israel will target an ally to the US government, especially since Qatar is home to Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East and serves as the primary site for the U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) forward headquarters. Even though there are approximately 10,000 US military personnel stationed in Qatar, shamefully, they fail to defend their host nation against a foreign attack.
The White House has denied advance notice to the attack and that Israel told Trump 10 minutes after the attack. Trump spoke with the Emir and Prime Minister of Qatar and "assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil." Trump said that the Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar ‘does not advance Israel or America’s goals. Actually, the strike failed to accomplish its mission, therefore it was an embarrassment and disaster to the US and Israel. Trump is simply a demagogue. Here's why:
* The US government labeled Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization.
* America has repeatedly pressured Qatar to arrest or expel Hamas leaders.
* The US has sanctioned Hamas leaders since October 7, 2023.
* Hamas has neither attacked the US or any other Western nation.
The Qatari Interior Ministery told Al Jazeera that, in addition to al-Hayya’s son Humam, four others confirmed were killed in the attack, including one Qatari security official. Other Qatari security forces were wounded too.
Meanwhile, the Crime Minister of Israel and his war minister believed the operation was completely justified despite the fact the attacks on Doha violate the United Nations Charter — breaching Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Mahmoud El-Youseph is a Palestinian freelance writer and retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He writes on U.S. foreign policy, Middle East affairs, and justice. Email: elyousseph6@yahoo.com
