The Palestinian resistance group Hamas confirmed Tuesday that five members were killed in an Israeli strike on the Qatari capital Doha, confirming that its negotiating delegation survived the attack.

In a statement, the group condemned the Israeli attack as a “heinous crime and blatant aggression,” saying it targeted the movement’s negotiating delegation.

“We affirm that the enemy has failed to assassinate our brothers in the negotiating delegation,” Hamas stressed.

The group identified its slain members as Hammam al-Hayya, the son of group leader Khalil al-Hayya, his office director Jihad Lubad and three aides: Abdullah Abdel Wahid, Moamen Hassouna, and Ahmed al-Mamlouk.

“We hold the Israeli occupation and the US administration responsible for this crime due to Washington’s constant support for the aggression and the occupation’s crimes against our people,” it added.

Hamas called the Israeli strike “an aggression against the sovereignty of the brotherly State of Qatar, which together with Egypt, plays an important and responsible role in sponsoring mediation efforts to halt the assault and reach a ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement.”

The Palestinian group also mourned a Qatari security personnel, who was killed in the Israeli strike on Doha.

It stressed that the attack on its negotiating team came “at the very moment as they were discussing the latest proposal from US President Donald Trump.”

Hamas stressed that the attack proved that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government “have no intention of reaching any agreement and are deliberately seeking to thwart all opportunities and derail international efforts.”

The attack “demonstrates again that the Zionist (Israeli) occupation is a grave threat to the region and the world,” Hamas said, accusing Netanyahu of pursuing “criminal schemes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, starvation, and forced displacement.”

“The cowardly assassination attempt will not change our positions and clear demands for an immediate end to the aggression against our people, the full withdrawal of the occupation army from Gaza, a genuine prisoner exchange, urgent relief for our people, and reconstruction,” Hamas said.

“These terrorist crimes will not break the resolve of our movement and leadership, nor divert us from holding fast to our national rights and continuing the path of resistance until the occupation ends and our independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established.”

Israel`s military confirmed that it conducted a “precise strike” on senior Hamas leadership, without specifying the Qatari capital.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the Israeli strike, calling it a “blatant violation of international law.”

Qatar, along with Egypt and the US, have been mediating indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas on a potential prisoner swap and ceasefire deal.

Israel has killed more than 64,600 Palestinians in a brutal offensive in Gaza since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave and pushed the territory’s population into famine.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

Source: Anandolu Agency