Israel strikes Hamas leaders in Doha, raising mediation concerns

Israel carried out an airstrike on Doha on Tuesday that targeted senior Hamas officials meeting in the Qatari capital, killing several people and prompting broad international condemnation and diplomatic fallout, officials and party statements said. The attack, which Israel confirmed, struck residential compounds said to house members of Hamas political leadership and came as negotiators were reportedly discussing a U.S. ceasefire proposal for Gaza.

Israel acknowledged responsibility, with the prime minister's office saying the operation was a "wholly independent Israeli operation" initiated to target senior terrorist chieftains of Hamas. Israeli officials said the strike was carried out in retaliation for a deadly shooting at a Jerusalem bus stop on Monday that killed six people. A senior Israeli official told NBC News that measures were taken to mitigate civilian harm, including the use of precision munitions and additional intelligence.

Accounts of casualties varied. Qatar's interior ministry said five Hamas members and a member of Qatar's security forces were killed. Other reports put the death toll at seven, including relatives and aides of senior negotiator Khalil...