Israel’s Qatar attack condemned; Hamas says leaders survived

Qatar condemned “the cowardly Israeli attack,” calling it a “blatant violation of all international laws and norms.” It was joined by a flurry of states from across the Middle East as well as China, Russia and others.

European powers, long allies of Israel, warned that the strike threatened to imperil the renewed push for a deal that would bring an end to the war that has devastated Gaza and see the hostages who remain held there released.

Trump on Friday said the U.S. was in “very deep” negotiations with Hamas.

Germany said the strike “not only violates Qatar’s territorial sovereignty but also jeopardizes all our efforts to release the hostages.”

“This blow is unacceptable,” said German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.

As Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepared to welcome Israeli President Isaac Herzog to London on Wednesday, he disavowed the attack, saying it violated Qatar’s sovereignty and risked “further escalation across the region.”

French President Emmanuel Macron called the assault “unacceptable, whatever the reason, adding that “under no circumstances should the war spread throughout the region.”

The blowback came as Israel also faced mounting backlash over its deadly campaign in Gaza, with outrage growing over its bid to take over Gaza City, where famine was declared by the world’s leading body on hunger last month.

Thousands of leaflets rained down over the city on Tuesday with orders from the Israeli military demanding Palestinians leave the area to an already-crowded so-called “humanitarian zone” further south.