Israel’s strikes in Qatar: an attack on diplomacy — Expert comment

Israel’s recent attempted assassination of Hamas’ top political leader in Qatar has sparked widespread condemnation from the international community. While ACLED has recorded over 100 Israeli strikes on Hamas’ political and civil officials inside Gaza since 7 October, an attack in Qatar — a US ally and a country where political violence is exceptionally rare — underscores the extraordinary lengths to which Israel is willing to go. Yesterday's attack was only the second incident of political violence recorded by ACLED since we began coverage of Qatar in 2016, following Iran's missile launch targeting a US base in June.

ACLED Middle East Senior Analyst Ameneh Mehvar explains:  

“Since 7 October, Israel has unleashed unprecedented force and every possible tool — including the militarization of humanitarian aid — in pursuit of ‘total victory.’ Beyond killing thousands of Hamas fighters and dozens of commanders in Gaza, Israel has expanded its campaign to strike the group’s political and civil authorities in the Strip. Israel has also taken the fight far beyond Gaza’s borders, targeting not only Hamas’ military commanders but also senior political leaders abroad — from Ismail Haniyeh in Iran to Saleh al-Arouri in Lebanon, and now the attempted assassination of Hamas’ top political leaders in Qatar.

“The latest strike marks not only a geographical expansion of the Israeli campaign but also an attack on the diplomatic process. Israel has carried out an assassination attempt in Qatar — a major non-NATO US ally and a key negotiator in efforts to end the war in Gaza — in the midst of US-supported talks with Hamas. Attempts to kill Hamas officials are unlikely to alter the group’s core demands or force it to accept Israel’s demand for disarmament. Instead, Israel appears to have once more torpedoed diplomacy and is signaling its intent to reoccupy most of the Gaza Strip, beginning with the looming Gaza City operation.”

Note for editors: For more information or to interview Ameneh Mehvar, please contact Gina Dorso at [email protected].

For further information, please see ACLED’s Middle East Regional Hub. ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) is a global monitor that collects, analyzes, and maps data on conflict and protest. ACLED provides detailed information to help identify, understand, and track patterns and trends in conflict and crisis situations around the world.