Israel first planned to strike Türkiye instead of Qatar, but feared results — Kan

Israel carried out an attack on Hamas leaders in Doha as an alternative to a plan that would have targeted them in Türkiye. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly decided against striking in Türkiye, fearing serious political and economic consequences, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli news service Kan. 

The operation in Türkiye was abandoned because Türkiye is a NATO member. Netanyahu believed that the fallout from an attack in Qatar could be managed with U.S. support, but a similar strike in Türkiye or Egypt would have been far riskier.

Hamas leaders abroad are known to reside only in Qatar, Türkiye, and Egypt. Egypt warned that any attempt to target Hamas leaders on its soil would be catastrophic.

Despite this, Cairo remains open to negotiations and is willing to host Hamas leaders, but it will not allow the situation to remain as it became after the Doha attack.

Israel’s military launched a “precise strike” on a residential compound in Doha’s West Bay Lagoon, targeting Hamas’s political leadership, including chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya and West Bank leader Zaher Jabarin. The operation, codenamed “Summit of Fire,” involved 15 Israeli fighter jets firing 10 munitions, according to Israeli media. Hamas confirmed six deaths, including al-Hayya’s son Humam and his office director Jihad Labad, but claimed its senior leaders survived. Qatar reported one Internal Security Force member, Corporal Bader Saad Mohammed al-Humaidi al-Dosari, killed and others injured. Witnesses described eight explosions, with smoke rising over the Katara district, a residential and diplomatic area.

By Khagan Isayev