Media: Turkish intelligence helped Hamas survive Israel's attack on Doha

Turkish intelligence reportedly alerted a Palestinian Hamas delegation in Qatar of a potential Israeli attack, allowing the negotiating team to survive, according to Türkiye newspaper, citing Hamas sources.

The newspaper reported that a special unit of the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation tracked Israeli air movements throughout the day. Israeli forces initially targeted a humanitarian flotilla near Tunisia en route to Gaza, then struck sites in Syria, including Latakia and Tartus, as well as facilities in Lebanon, before turning their attention to Hamas representatives in Qatar.

Thanks to prior warning from Turkish intelligence, security measures for the Palestinian delegation in Doha were reinforced, preventing the deaths of most high-ranking members. However, several people were killed, including Jihad Labed, head of the office of one of Hamas’s Gaza leaders Khalil al-Hayya, and al-Hayya’s son Hammam.

On September 9, a series of explosions occurred in the Qatari capital. Shortly afterward, the Israeli army press office reported that its forces, with support from the Shin Bet and the Israeli Air Force, had struck members of Hamas leadership. Majid bin Mohammed Al-Ansari, advisor to the Qatari prime minister and official spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed Israel’s responsibility for the attack.

According to Qatari authorities, one security official was killed and several others were injured. Hamas denied media reports that members of its negotiating delegation were killed, confirming instead that six people died in the strike, including the son of Gaza leader Khalil al-Hayya and a member of Qatari security forces.

By Khagan Isayev