DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has rejected claims from US President Donald Trump that Doha was warned in advance of Israel’s airstrike on its soil. The ministry called the statements false and misleading.
Majed Al-Ansari, adviser to the Qatari Foreign Ministry, said that “what is being circulated about Qatar being informed in advance of the attack is baseless.” He explained that the only phone call from a US official came after the explosions were already heard in Doha.
On Tuesday, Israel bombed Hamas’ negotiation delegation in Doha. The group included members of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance movement. The targeted leaders survived, but six others were killed, including a Qatari policeman.
The attack stunned the Gulf state, which has long served as a mediator in negotiations between Israel, Hamas, and international actors. The strike also raised questions about Israel’s willingness to bomb inside the territory of a US ally.
The Trump administration confirmed the Israeli strike in a written statement. It said the US military had informed the White House that Israel was “attacking Hamas, which very unfortunately was located in a section of Doha.”
The statement claimed that Trump immediately ordered US Special Envoy Steven Witkoff to alert Qatari officials of the strike. “The president views Qatar as a strong ally and feels very badly about the location of this attack,” the administration said.
Trump also claimed he spoke with Qatari leaders after the bombing. He assured them that such an incident would “not happen again on their soil.” He later spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who allegedly told him he wanted to “make peace quickly.”
Qatar’s denial directly contradicts Trump’s version. Al-Ansari stressed that no prior warning was given before the bombs struck. He said the call came during the attack, not before it.
The contradiction highlights the deep mistrust between Washington, Tel Aviv, and Doha. Qatar has played a central role in ceasefire talks and prisoner negotiations. Officials in Doha now face the challenge of balancing their mediation efforts while responding to the violation of sovereignty. — QNN
