Israel’s September 9 Strike in Qatar: Triggers, Impact, and What Has Happened Since

The roots of the September 9 strike lie in the ongoing conflict that began after the Hamas-led attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. Since then, Qatar has played a unique role, hosting Hamas’s political office and acting as a mediator for ceasefire negotiations, hostage releases, and humanitarian pauses. Doha became a key diplomatic hub where multiple parties, including the United States, Egypt, and the United Nations, sought to establish fragile truces in an otherwise protracted conflict.

In the weeks leading up to September 9, tensions escalated again. A deadly incident in Jerusalem, claimed by Hamas’s armed wing, fueled public pressure in Israel for decisive action. Israeli officials had long declared that Hamas’s senior leaders would remain targets, regardless of where they operated. This set the stage for what became one of the most controversial cross-border escalations of the conflict.

The Strike on September 9

Explosions struck a residential compound in Doha’s Leqtaifiya district, where Hamas officials were reported to be staying. Hamas later announced that its top leaders survived the strike, but several of their relatives and aides were killed, along with at least one Qatari security officer. The compound sustained significant damage, and images of the blast quickly circulated across international media.

Smoke rises after several blasts were heard in Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 [Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters]

Israel framed the operation as part of its campaign to eliminate Hamas’s leadership. Qatar denounced the strike as a violation of sovereignty and international law.

The Immediate Impact

The human cost was immediate: civilian injuries, deaths of non-combatants, and displacement in the affected neighborhood. Local families described a sudden wave of panic as the blasts shattered the relative calm of Doha. Hospitals in the city treated both Hamas affiliates and civilians caught in the explosions.

Diplomatically, the incident strained ongoing ceasefire talks. Mediators, including Qatari officials, were placed in a difficult position as the strike occurred in the same location where delicate negotiations were taking place. Regional governments across the Gulf expressed concern that the conflict had now extended into their territory, warning that unchecked escalations could destabilize the wider Middle East.

The United States underscored Qatar’s importance as a mediator, while European Union officials called for restraint on all sides to prevent further spillover. These were the positions expressed by the governments involved, not endorsements.

Regional and International Reactions

One of the most significant consequences of the September 9 attack has been its impact on already-fragile ceasefire negotiations and the fate of hostages. Prior to the strike, as noted, there was a glimmer of hope that a U.S.-mediated truce could take shape. Qatar’s mediation, along with efforts by Egypt and U.S. officials, had nearly achieved a formula to pause the fighting: Hamas would release dozens of Israeli and foreign hostages in exchange for a temporary halt in fighting and the release of some Palestinian prisoners.

However, Israel’s decision to bomb the very city where these negotiations were happening derailed the process. Analysts and officials widely agree that the Doha strike dealt a “serious, if not fatal, blow” to prospects of a new ceasefire. From Hamas’s perspective, the attack proved that Israel was not interested in a mediated solution – that even as talks in Doha progressed, Israel was willing to kill their negotiators. Indeed, Hamas publicly stated after the strike that Netanyahu had “just killed any hope” of seeing the remaining hostages return alive. The group likely pulled back from the talks and hardened its demands, if only out of mistrust and to ensure their leaders’ safety going forward.

Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani (left), and Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan. (Photo by Selcuk Acar / Anadolu via Getty Images)

Qatar’s Prime Minister Al Thani echoed this sentiment, saying on CNN that “what Netanyahu has done… killed any hope for those hostages” - cbsnews.com. Qatar, which had been the intermediary shuttling messages between Israel and Hamas, was left outraged and less inclined (at least initially) to continue in that thankless role without strong U.S. assurances. In fact, President Trump’s urgent calls to Doha after the strike – where he promised it wouldn’t happen again – were aimed at keeping Qatar engaged in the negotiation channel. The U.S. recognized that losing Qatar’s facilitation would be disastrous for any future deals.

From Israel’s viewpoint, officials claimed that Hamas was simply stalling and using negotiations as cover. They pointed to the Jerusalem bus stop shooting on Sept 8 and other ongoing Hamas attacks as evidence that Hamas wasn’t serious about peace. Israeli leadership likely calculated that removing Hamas’ top council might force the group into submission or sow enough chaos in its ranks to extract a better deal later. However, that gamble did not pay off immediately – Hamas’ command structure remained intact, and their willingness to retaliate only grew.

As of mid-September 2025, the hostage situation remains unresolved. There are still 48 Israelis (and possibly some other foreign nationals) held by Hamas in Gaza. Hopes of a swap or release have dimmed since the attack. On September 12, Secretary of State Rubio acknowledged that a diplomatic solution may be unlikely in the near term and that Washington and Israel must prepare for the war to continue.

Developments Since the Attack

In the week following the attack, the crisis has continued to evolve rapidly on multiple fronts:

• Emergency Arab-Islamic Summit in Doha: In a show of solidarity with Qatar, the Emir convened an urgent summit of Arab and Muslim leaders in Doha on September 15, 2025.
• Heads of state and representatives from across the Middle East, including key players like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and others, gathered to formulate a response. In the summit’s final communiqué, they condemned Israel’s strike in the strongest terms, calling it “cowardly and treacherous” and a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty. The statement urged all countries to “review diplomatic and economic ties” with Israel. Although some anticipated even harsher measures (a draft had warned that Israel’s actions threaten coexistence and normalization efforts), the final text was slightly softened at the behest of more cautious states. Still, it was a clear call for those Arab nations that have relations with Israel to reconsider them. Notably, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as a bloc issued a separate statement warning that continued Israeli “aggressive policies” would undermine existing agreements – a thinly veiled reference to deals like the Abraham Accords.
• Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi warned that Israel’s recent actions “put obstacles in the way of any opportunities for new peace agreements and even abort existing ones” - reuters.com. This reflected a broader fear that the door to an eventual two-state solution or broader peace was closing. (Indeed, just days earlier on Sept 13, the UN General Assembly had overwhelmingly passed a resolution backing a two-state solution – 142 countries in favor – but Israel’s Prime Minister flatly rejected it, saying “There will be no Palestinian state.” - cbsnews.com. The Doha strike only reinforced his stance and Arab skepticism.)
• In conjunction with the summit, Qatar announced it would host an extraordinary meeting of the Arab League and OIC to further address the Israeli attack and the war in Gaza. The diplomatic momentum was clearly building to isolate Israel: discussions of boycotts, oil embargoes, or other collective measures have been quietly revived in some quarters, reminiscent of past Arab responses to conflict. For now, most countries are stopping short of severing ties, but the tone has shifted dramatically from even a month ago. Countries like the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco (which have normalization deals) face domestic pressure to at least freeze aspects of cooperation with Israel in protest.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio meeting with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the emir of Qatar, in Doha on Tuesday. (Nathan Howard/Reuters)

• Israeli Determination and U.S. Mediation: On the Israeli side, Netanyahu remains defiant. As of Sept 17, he has not ruled out further strikes on Hamas leaders abroad, explicitly saying he will hit them “wherever they are” if necessary - reuters.com. This was reiterated in joint remarks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. However, to manage the fallout, the United States has been actively engaging. Rubio flew to Israel and then on to Qatar after the summit. In Jerusalem, he stood alongside Netanyahu and, while endorsing Israel’s right to fight Hamas, he subtly injected caution by saying “Qatar has been a great ally… They have to be very, very careful”. Rubio’s visit to Doha aimed to smooth over tensions – essentially reassuring Qatar of its importance and asking it to continue helping resolve the conflict. The U.S. recognizes Qatar’s leverage on Hamas and is likely offering security assurances or incentives to keep Hamas’s presence in Doha but under tighter control. Meanwhile, President Trump in Washington has tempered his earlier criticism by emphasizing that Hamas must be dealt with, though he continues to advise Israel against needless provocation of Arab allies. The complexity of U.S. diplomacy now is in balancing support for Israel’s war aims with preventing a larger regional war or collapse of alliances.
• Continuation of the Gaza War: Sadly, on the ground in Gaza, the war rages on unabated. In fact, in the aftermath of the Doha strike, Israel accelerated its military campaign, as if to press an advantage. Israeli forces have launched a major new offensive in Gaza City, pounding remaining Hamas strongholds. In recent days (mid-September), Israeli airstrikes leveled one of Gaza City’s tallest buildings after warning civilians to evacuate. Fighting has intensified street by street, and humanitarian conditions – already dire – have worsened. The city is largely in ruins and, according to international monitors, famine-like conditions are emerging in some areas of Gaza due to the siege. Palestinians continue to flee southward within Gaza whenever possible, but many are trapped, lacking food, water, or safe shelter. Local health authorities reported dozens of civilian deaths each day from the ongoing bombardment. The human toll of the war, combined with the new geopolitical rift over Qatar, has increased Israel’s international isolation. Protests and public outrage against Israel’s actions have surged worldwide, and even some of Israel’s partners in Europe and Asia have grown more vocal in urging a halt to the fighting.
• UN and Global Diplomacy: Beyond the Human Rights Council debate mentioned, there have been moves at the United Nations Security Council and General Assembly. Qatar’s foreign minister brought the issue of the strike to the UN, arguing it violated international law and Qatar’s sovereignty. The UN General Assembly session (opening Sept 22) is expected to be dominated by the Gaza war and the Qatar incident, with many countries aligning with calls for an immediate ceasefire and a return to negotiations. Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations are pressing for at least a humanitarian pause to deliver aid to Gaza’s civilians, but Israel’s position after the Doha strike has hardened.

A Conflict at a Crossroads – The Urgent Need for Peace

As of September 17, 2025, the Israel-Hamas war and its regional reverberations have reached a critical crossroads. Israel’s airstrike on Qatar – unprecedented and risky – highlights how far this conflict has expanded beyond Gaza’s borders. It underlines a stark reality: solutions by force alone risk igniting broader conflagrations, drawing in nations that were previously mediators or bystanders. The strike intended to improve Israel’s security may in fact have complicated it, by straining alliances and undermining channels that could lead to a ceasefire.

Yet, amid this grim situation, there remains a universal aspiration for peace. People around the world, including Israelis, Palestinians, Qataris, and others, recognize that an enduring resolution cannot be found through missiles and blockades, but through dialogue, compromise, and justice for all involved. The events since September 9 have been a sobering reminder that diplomacy is fragile – one act of aggression can shatter months of peacemaking efforts. Rebuilding trust will be an uphill task, but it is a task that must be undertaken. The alternative is unthinkable: an ever-widening war with no end, threatening countless lives and the stability of an entire region.

One meaningful way to contribute to peace is through supporting initiatives that foster dialogue and conflict resolution. We invite readers to participate in our campaign “Create Permanent Peace and Strengthen Democracies in Israel and Palestine” on Pledge4Peace. This campaign crowdsources and highlights the best solutions for ending the Israel-Palestine conflict through democratic means and fair resolutions. By casting your vote on proposed peace resolutions and lending your voice to this movement, you can help signal to leaders everywhere that the public yearns for an end to bloodshed. Pledge4Peace is about empowering citizens worldwide to push for diplomatic solutions over violence. Your vote is a vote for dialogue, coexistence, and a future where no more families have to mourn loved ones lost to war.

Hero Image: Bystanders pass the scene of the explosion in Doha. Jacqueline Penney / AFP - Getty Images