The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) senior official, Gazi Hamad, was interviewed by Qatar Peninsula TV on September 17. This was his first public appearance after the Israeli air strikes in Doha on September 9.

Hamad said the airstrikes occurred ¡°less than an hour after we started studying the proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza.¡±Hamas leadership was discussing the U.S. proposal transferred by Qatar at the time.

"In less than a minute, about 12 missiles fell continuously without pause," Hamad said. People present were "completely convinced that this was an attack launched by Israel."

Sources close to Hamas disclosed to the media that six members of Hamas leadership were present at the time of the incident, including Hamad, including chief negotiator Khalil Haya, former Politburo leader Khalid Meshaal, Hamas head in the West Bank Zaheer Jabalin, Politburo member Bassim Naim, etc.

Israel announced a "precise strike" on Doha's Hamas leadership on Monday, saying that the airstrikes killed Ha'a's son, the head of Ha'a's office and three security guards and a member of Qatar's security forces, and Israel's attempt to assassinate Hamas "failed."

Qatar has been playing a key role in mediating efforts for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli assassination attempt drew strong condemnation from the international community.