Trump says strike on Doha ‘does not advance Israel or America’s goals’

Nadine YousifBBC News, WashingtonUS President Donald Trump has said Israel’s strike on Hamas targets in Qatar “does not advance Israel or America’s goals”, adding that he feels “very badly” about the location of the attack.In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump said he was notified that Israel was attacking Hamas in the capital Doha by the US military, but it was “unfortunately, too late to stop the attack”.“This was a decision made by [Israel’s] Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” he said, before praising Qatar as a “strong ally and friend”.Six people were killed in the strike, Hamas said, including one member of the Qatari security forces, but the group said its leadership team survived.The Israeli military said it had conducted a “precise strike” targeted at Hamas senior leaders using “precise munitions”. Israeli media reported the operation involved 15 Israeli fighter jets, which fired 10 munitions against a single target.Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he authorised the strike and there would be “no immunity” for Hamas leaders.Very unhappyIn his statement on Tuesday, President Trump issued a rare rebuke of Netanyahu. “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,” he wrote.In later remarks, Trump said he was “very unhappy about the way that it went down”, telling reporters: “I’m not thrilled about the whole situation.”He called for the return of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and said he would issue “a full statement” on Wednesday, adding: “I’m never surprised by anything. Especially when it comes to the Middle East”.White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said earlier that “The president also spoke to the emir and prime minister of Qatar and thanked them for their support and friendship to our country.”“He assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil,” she added.Trump’s post said, however, that “eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal” and reiterated that he wants “ALL of the hostages, and the bodies of the dead released and this War to END, NOW!”.The attack took place on early Tuesday afternoon, with footage showing a badly damaged building in Doha.Qatar’s foreign ministry condemned the strike “in the strongest possible terms,” and said the attack was a “blatant violation” of international law.It was later said that Qatari officials were not notified of the Israeli strike ahead of time.“The communication received from one of the US officials came during the sound of explosions,” said Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari in a post on X.ResponsibleQatar has hosted Hamas’s political bureau since 2012 and played a key role in facilitating indirect negotiations between the group and Israel since the 7 October attacks.It has also been a close ally of the US. Around 10 000 American troops are stationed at a US airbase in al-Udeid, just outside Doha. In May, Trump announced a “historic” economic agreement signed between the two countries that he said is valued at least $1.2 trillion (£890bn).Qatar has also recently gifted Trump a plane - valued at $400m - as an “unconditional gift” to be used as the new Air Force One, the official aircraft of the US president.Hamas said its negotiating team in Doha survived Tuesday’s attack, adding that the action “confirms beyond doubt that Netanyahu and his government do not want to reach any agreement” for peace.It said it holds the US administration “jointly responsible” due to its ongoing support of Israel.The office of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu put out a statement shortly after the strike, which said the attack was “a wholly independent Israeli operation”.“Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility,” the statement said.A few days before the attack, Hamas said it welcomed “some ideas” from the US on how to reach a Gaza ceasefire, and that it was discussing how to turn them “into a comprehensive agreement”.In its statement, the White House said Trump believes the “unfortunate attack “could serve as an opportunity for peace, and that Netanyahu had expressed to him after the attack that “he wants to make peace and quickly”.

Trump says strike on Doha ‘does not advance Israel or America’s goals’

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-22

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Trump says strike on Doha ‘does not advance Israel or America’s goals’

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-22

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