U.S. President Donald Trump feels “very badly” about Israel’s strike on a Doha residence that housed a Hamas negotiating delegation earlier in the day.
“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,” the president stated. “However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal.”
Trump stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to strike the Doha residence. “I immediately directed special envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did; however, unfortunately, too late to stop the attack,” Trump said.
“Shorter Trump: The location of the Hamas leadership was unfortunate,” stated David Hazony, director and Steinhardt senior fellow of the Z3 Institute for Jewish Priorities.
Some media reports were skeptical of Trump’s claim that Washington wasn’t forewarned.
Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said during a media briefing that the U.S. military told Trump about a pending attack. She didn’t clarify how the U.S. military learned of the attack.
Washington shares parts of its largest military base in the Middle East–located just outside Doha at Al-Udeid—with the Qataris. (Iran attacked the base in June, seemingly in a symbolic strike, after the United States bombed the regime’s nuclear facilities.)
Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Qatari prime minister, said that the message from a U.S. official came about 10 minutes after the attack. The death toll remains unclear. Hamas says all members of its delegation survived, though some relatives, security and others were killed.
Trump stated that he spoke with Al Thani and the emir of Qatar and thanked them for their “support and friendship” and assured them “that such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”
Trump directed Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state and national security advisor, to finalize a defense cooperation agreement with Qatar. The U.S. president also said that he spoke with Netanyahu.
“I want all of the hostages and bodies of the dead released, and this war to end now,” Trump stated. He said that Netanyahu “told me that he wants to make peace. I believe this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for peace.”
Critics have long accused Qatar of being friendly to both Washington and terror groups, including Hamas, whose leadership it hosts. The state also oversees the Al Jazeera network. Qatar’s supporters say that the state’s connections with Hamas allow a direct line of negotiation with the terror group.
