1、 Background of the event
1.1 Historical background and main reasons for the long-term conflict between Israel and Hamas
In 1987, Hamas was established in the Palestinian territories with the aim of eliminating Israel and establishing a Palestinian state based on Islamic law, which marked the beginning of a long-term conflict with Israel. This conflict has a complex historical background and profound reasons.
From a historical perspective, the 1947 United Nations Resolution 181 divided Palestine into a Jewish state and an Arab state, but failed to gain recognition from the local people. After Israel declared its establishment in 1948, the first Middle East War broke out, and most of the land in Palestine was occupied by Israel. Afterwards, both sides experienced multiple wars and violent conflicts, and hatred and hostility continued to deepen. Israel continues to expand settlements, and the friction between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank of the Jordan River is particularly intense. These settlements are widely regarded internationally as a violation of international law and a violation of the rights of the Palestinian people.
On the territorial issue, Hamas insists on establishing a Palestinian state that includes Israel’s existing territories, which Israel regards as an integral part of itself. In terms of religion, Hamas, as an Islamic organization, emphasizes the importance of Islamic law and regards Jerusalem as one of the holy sites of Islam, while Israel regards Jerusalem as its capital and considers it the core holy site of Judaism. On security issues, Israel believes that Hamas’ armed activities pose a serious threat to its national security, while Hamas believes that only through armed struggle can it fight for the freedom and rights of the Palestinian people.
The differences between the two sides are also reflected in their views on the peace process. Israel hopes to resolve the issue through negotiations while ensuring its own security, but Hamas insists on first realizing the rights of the Palestinians before negotiating peace. Under the mediation of the international community, although there have been brief ceasefire and negotiations between the two sides, the fundamental contradiction has never been resolved. The conflict continues to recur, causing enormous pain and losses to the people of both countries, and casting a shadow over the prospects for peace in the Middle East region.
1.2 Qatar’s Position and Role in the Israeli Palestinian Issue
Qatar has always played a relatively active role in the Israeli Palestinian issue, and its position and actions have had significant impacts in the region and the international community.
There are multiple reasons why Qatar supports Palestinian organizations such as Hamas. On the one hand, as an Islamic country, Qatar resonates with Hamas in terms of religious beliefs and cultural traditions, and the Islamic law advocated by Hamas has a certain mass foundation in Qatar. On the other hand, Qatar hopes to enhance its influence in the Arab and Islamic world by supporting Palestinian organizations, and establish an image of safeguarding Muslim rights.
The relationship between Qatar and Israel is quite complex. In history, Qatar has attempted to establish contacts with Israel, such as approving Israel’s establishment of a business representative office in Doha in 1996, and Emir Hamad also met with Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres. But in 2009, Qatar closed the Israeli business representative office in Doha in protest of Israel’s military actions against Hamas.
Qatar’s foreign policy has distinct characteristics of strategic diplomacy. Its hard and soft power is limited, but by cleverly utilizing its own resources, it has exerted an influence on the international stage that exceeds its national strength level. On the Israeli Palestinian issue, Qatar actively plays the role of a mediator by utilizing its abundant oil and gas resources, ability to host large-scale international events, and advantages in maintaining certain contacts with all parties. For example, Qatar played an important role in the signing and extension of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, contributing to easing regional tensions.
However, Qatar’s support for Hamas and other actions have also sparked controversy among some Arab countries and the international community, putting pressure on it in regional diplomacy. But overall, Qatar’s position and role in the Israeli Palestinian issue have made it an important force in the Middle East that cannot be ignored.
2、 Analysis of Attack Events
2.1 Specific process and reasons for this attack incident
On September 9, 2025, Israel launched a “precision strike” against Hamas leaders in Doha, the capital of Qatar. On this day, the sky over Doha was torn apart by war, and the once peaceful city fell into chaos.
From the specific process, Israel has been planning this operation for a long time, deploying more than 10 fighter jets. The fighter jets whizzed over Doha and dropped at least 10 rounds of ammunition on the building where Hamas leaders were located. Hamas senior personnel such as Sinwar were targeted in the attack, but fortunately Hamas leader Haniya was not present at the scene and escaped unscathed. The attack caused power outages in some areas of Doha and damage to multiple buildings.
Subsequently, Israeli officials issued a statement claiming that Hamas’ activities in Qatar posed a serious threat to their national security. The Israeli side stated that Hamas planned a series of terrorist attacks against Israel in Qatar and used Qatar as a transit point for fundraising and intelligence transmission. The Israeli National Security Agency (Shin Bet) also released photos showing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Katz, and others communicating in a Shin Bet command center, seemingly directing the operation.
Hamas’ activities in Qatar have indeed brought many troubles to Israel. Hamas has maintained close ties with Qatar since 2012, and Qatar has not only provided political asylum to Hamas, but also provided financial support. Some senior leaders of Hamas reside in Qatar for a long time and maintain contact with the outside world through Qatar. Hamas took advantage of Qatar’s geographical location and diplomatic environment to plan multiple attacks on Israel, causing huge casualties and property damage to Israel.
The occurrence of this attack is also related to the complex situation in the current Middle East region. The Israeli Palestinian conflict continues to escalate, and Israel’s crackdown on Hamas continues to increase. Qatar, as a country that supports Hamas, has become a thorn in Israel’s side. Israel hopes to issue a strong warning to Hamas and demonstrate its determination to maintain national security to the international community by striking at the top leadership of Hamas in Qatar.
But Israel’s actions have also attracted widespread attention and strong condemnation from the international community. Multiple countries and regional organizations believe that Israel’s actions seriously violate international law, blatantly infringe upon Qatar’s sovereignty, undermine efforts to mediate peace, and threaten regional security and stability. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement strongly condemning Israel’s attacks on Hamas targets within Qatar. Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed referred to the attack as “state terrorism” and stated that Qatar will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
The recent Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar not only caused losses to Qatar, but also heightened tensions in the Middle East region.
2.2 Assessing the legality and reasonableness of actions from the perspective of international law and international relations
There are many controversies surrounding Israel’s attack on Hamas in Qatar within the framework of international law and relations.
From the perspective of international law, the right of self-defense is one of the important bases for a state to use force. According to Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the right of self-defense refers to the right of a country to engage in individual and collective self-defense when it has suffered external aggression or armed attack. However, the exercise of the right of self-defense requires certain conditions to be met, including the existence of actual acts of armed attack, the fact that acts of self-defense must be carried out after the occurrence of an armed attack and cannot exceed necessary limits, etc.
As for the Israeli operation, Israel claims that Hamas planned terrorist attacks against Israel in Qatar as a reason to exercise its right to self-defense. However, Israel has not provided sufficient evidence to prove that Hamas has recently planned specific terrorist attacks in Qatar, nor has it proven that these attacks have caused actual military attacks on Israel. Therefore, Israel’s actions are difficult to be considered as exercising its right of self-defense.
International law also stipulates that when exercising the right of self-defense, a state must adhere to the principle of proportionality, which means that the means and intensity of self-defense should be commensurate with the force of attack received. It is questionable whether Israel’s “precision strike” on Hamas senior officials in Qatar, which caused power outages and building damage in some areas of Qatar, exceeded the necessary limits of self-defense.
In addition, international law emphasizes the principle of national sovereignty. The state enjoys the highest authority and jurisdiction within its territory, and other countries are not allowed to infringe upon it arbitrarily. Qatar is a sovereign state, and Israel’s military actions within Qatar’s territory without Qatar’s consent clearly violate Qatar’s sovereignty. This behavior not only violates international law, but also undermines the basic norms of international relations.
From an international relations perspective, Israel’s actions have had a serious negative impact on peace and stability in the Middle East region. The Middle East has long been plagued by complex contradictions and conflicts, with the Israeli Palestinian issue being the core issue. The international community has been working hard to promote the Israeli Palestinian peace process, hoping to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation. The Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar not only intensified the conflict with Hamas, but also made the relationship between Qatar and other countries that support Palestine more tense with Israel. This is not conducive to peace and stability in the Middle East region, nor is it conducive to the peace efforts of the international community.
Israel’s actions have also put the United States and other countries that support Israel in an awkward position. The United States has been trying to play the role of a mediator in the Middle East and promote the Israeli Palestinian peace process. Israel’s actions may cause a setback to the United States’ diplomatic efforts in the Middle East and may also affect its relations with other Arab countries.
In summary, from the perspective of international law and international relations, the Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar is neither legal nor reasonable. This behavior not only violates Qatar’s sovereignty, but also undermines the basic norms of international relations and exacerbates tensions in the Middle East region. The international community should call on all parties to exercise restraint, resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and jointly maintain regional peace and stability.
3、 Event impact
3.1 Impact on the Security Situation in the Middle East Region
The Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar undoubtedly had a huge impact on the already unstable security situation in the Middle East, further exacerbating tensions between Israel and neighboring countries.
Originally, Israel had complex conflicts with neighboring Arab countries due to multiple factors such as history, religion, and territory. In recent years, although some Arab countries have normalized their relations with Israel under the promotion of the United States, this normalization is more based on considerations of interests, and there are still hidden currents beneath the surface peace. The Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar this time directly violated Qatar’s sovereignty, causing Qatar’s anger towards Israel to reach its peak and further deteriorating the relationship between the two sides. Qatar has launched a comprehensive investigation and called the attack “state terrorism”. This tough attitude indicates that Qatar will not easily give up, and the confrontation between the two countries in politics, economy and other aspects may further escalate in the future.
Meanwhile, this incident has also sparked strong reactions from other Arab countries. Although some countries have not directly clashed with Israel, they have expressed condemnation and dissatisfaction with Israel’s aggression. This has made Israel more isolated in the Arab world and its relations with neighboring countries more tense. The already fragile peace situation in the region is facing greater challenges, and the risk of larger scale conflicts is increasing.
For the Israeli Palestinian peace process, this incident has dealt a heavy blow. The Israeli Palestinian conflict has not been effectively resolved for a long time, and both sides are striving to achieve their goals. The Israeli attack on Hamas not only deepens Hamas’ hatred towards Israel, but also raises doubts among other Palestinian political forces about Israel’s peace intentions. Palestinian National Authority President Abbas reiterated that the solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict is to achieve comprehensive peace, but the realization of this goal has clearly become more distant. Radical organizations such as Hamas may take more intense retaliatory actions, while Israel will further strengthen its strike efforts to maintain its own security. In this way, the cycle of violence between Palestine and Israel may further intensify, and the peace process will stagnate for a longer period of time.
The international community has also shown strong concern and worry about this incident. UN Secretary General Guterres calls on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation of the situation. The Security Council urgently held a meeting to discuss this incident, and representatives from various countries expressed their views, calling on Israel to respect international law and Qatar’s sovereignty. Through this incident, the international community has seen the fragility of peace in the Middle East and realized the urgency and difficulty of promoting the Israeli Palestinian peace process. But there are also differences among countries on how to address this issue, with some countries supporting Israel’s self-defense actions, while others are more concerned about Qatar’s sovereignty and the rights of the Palestinian people. This divergence has also to some extent affected the coordination and effectiveness of the international community in resolving the Middle East issue.
3.2 Impact on the Geopolitical Landscape of the Middle East
The geopolitical landscape in the Middle East has been constantly changing, and the Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar undoubtedly brought new variables to this landscape.
From the perspective of national power balance, Israel has demonstrated its strong military strength and decisive operational capability through this operation. Israel possesses advanced weapons and equipment, as well as an efficient military command system, which enables it to carry out precise strikes against Hamas high-level officials in Qatar in a short period of time. This has made neighboring countries more aware of Israel’s military advantages and to some extent enhanced Israel’s position and influence in the Middle East. However, at the same time, although Qatar’s military strength is relatively weak, it has abundant oil and gas resources and significant regional influence. Qatar can retaliate against Israel through economic and other diplomatic means, which also makes the balance of power in the Middle East region more complex.
For external powers such as the United States, this event has had a significant impact on its Middle East policy. The United States has always been an important ally of Israel, providing strong support in military, economic, and other aspects. Although Israel’s recent actions have to some extent safeguarded the interests of the United States in the Middle East, they have also put the United States in an awkward position. The United States attempted to play the role of a mediator in the Middle East to promote the Israeli Palestinian peace process, but Israel’s actions undermined this effort. The United States needs to balance its relations with Israel and Arab countries, maintaining its alliance with Israel while appeasing the anger of Arab countries. This poses greater challenges to the United States’ Middle East policy and requires a readjustment of its strategic layout in the region.
This incident may also trigger a new round of regional conflicts. There are numerous contradictions and conflict points in the Middle East, with issues such as the Israeli Palestinian conflict, the Iranian nuclear issue, and the Syrian civil war intertwined. Israel’s attack on Hamas in Qatar may trigger retaliatory actions by Hamas and other radical organizations. These organizations may launch attacks on Israel in areas such as the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, triggering larger scale conflicts. Meanwhile, Qatar and other Arab countries may impose sanctions on Israel in terms of politics, economy, and other aspects, which could further escalate the regional situation. If the situation is not effectively controlled, it may trigger the involvement of more countries, leading to greater turmoil and chaos in the Middle East region.
In short, the Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar has had a profound impact on the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. It has changed the balance of power among Middle Eastern countries, brought new challenges to external powers such as the United States, and may also trigger a new round of regional conflicts. The international community needs to closely monitor the subsequent development of this incident and actively take measures to maintain peace and stability in the Middle East region.
4、 All parties’ reactions
4.1 Qatar’s response and countermeasures
Faced with Israel’s “precision strike”, Qatar quickly and strongly responded. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately issued a statement strongly condemning Israel’s actions, clearly stating that it seriously violated international law and blatantly infringed upon Qatar’s sovereignty. Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed further classified the attack as “state terrorism”, indicating Qatar’s extreme indignation and serious attitude towards the incident.
Qatar immediately launched a comprehensive investigation aimed at delving into the full picture of the attack, collecting relevant evidence to expose Israel’s aggressive behavior on the international stage, and providing a basis for possible subsequent actions. Qatar’s move is not only a defense of its own rights, but also a message to the international community of its firm determination to uphold national sovereignty and dignity.
In terms of military affairs, Qatar has accelerated its pace of arms procurement. Signed an agreement with the UK to purchase 24 Typhoon fighter jets, becoming the largest order since the UK’s arms sales to Qatar. This measure is clearly aimed at enhancing its own defense capabilities to respond to potential threats from countries such as Israel. Qatar’s previous military procurement actions, such as signing a contract with the United States to purchase F-15 fighter jets, were also driven by the same strategic considerations.
Qatar is actively seeking international support and strengthening its connections with other countries. As a country with close relations with Qatar, Türkiye has established military bases and stationed troops in Qatar, which provides a certain security guarantee for Qatar. Qatar, through cooperation with Türkiye and other countries, tries to build a security network conducive to itself.
In the economic field, Qatar may impose certain sanctions on Israel. Although there are currently no clear sanctions announced, Qatar can use its position in the international economy, such as controlling oil and gas resources, to exert pressure on Israel and its supporters.
Qatar’s ties with Hamas may further strengthen. Qatar has always supported Palestinian organizations such as Hamas, and this Israeli attack on Hamas’ senior leadership has strengthened Qatar’s stance in supporting the Palestinian cause. Qatar may provide more support to Hamas in politics, economy, and other aspects to help it recover and rebuild.
Qatar’s response and countermeasures have been comprehensively implemented from multiple levels including politics, military, and economy, aiming to safeguard its sovereignty, security, and dignity, while strengthening support for the Palestinian cause and demonstrating its determination to maintain regional peace and justice to the international community.
4.2 Response and evaluation from the international community
The Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar has sparked widespread attention and strong reactions in the international community.
The United Nations, as an international organization responsible for maintaining international peace and security, quickly responded to this incident. UN Secretary General Guterres issued a statement calling on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid further escalation of the situation. He emphasized that the international community should work together to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation, and maintain peace and stability in the Middle East region. The Security Council also urgently convened a meeting to discuss this incident. Representatives from various countries expressed their views at the meeting, calling on Israel to respect international law and Qatar’s sovereignty. They believed that Israel’s actions seriously violated international law and posed a serious threat to peace and security in the Middle East region.
The statements of major national governments also present different positions. As an important ally of Israel, the United States is in an awkward position in this incident. The US government has expressed support for Israel’s efforts to maintain national security, while also calling on all parties to remain calm and avoid the escalation of the conflict. This attitude of the United States aims to balance its relations with Israel and Arab countries, but it has also caused dissatisfaction among Arab countries to some extent. Russia strongly condemns Israel’s actions, believing that they seriously undermine the peace process in the Middle East and exacerbate tensions in the region. Russia calls on the international community to take effective measures to stop Israel’s aggression and maintain peace and stability in the Middle East region. EU member states have also expressed concern over this incident and called on all parties to resolve the issue through dialogue to avoid escalation of the conflict.
The media and experts and scholars have also conducted in-depth analysis and evaluation of this incident. Many media outlets believe that Israel’s actions not only violate Qatar’s sovereignty, but also undermine the basic norms of international relations and exacerbate tensions in the Middle East region. Experts and scholars have analyzed the event from multiple perspectives. Some experts believe that Israel’s operation is part of its long-term strike strategy against Hamas, aimed at weakening its power and influence. But such actions not only fail to fundamentally solve the problem, but also exacerbate the conflict between Palestine and Israel, making the peace process even more distant. Some experts also point out that Qatar, as a country that supports the Palestinian cause, has become a thorn in Israel’s side. Israel hopes to demonstrate its determination to maintain national security to the international community by targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, but this will only make the situation in the Middle East more complex and volatile.
The international community generally believes that Israel’s attack on Hamas in Qatar is a serious incident, which not only violates Qatar’s sovereignty, but also undermines the basic norms of international relations and exacerbates tensions in the Middle East region.
5、 Summary and Prospect
5.1 Summary of the Impact on the Israeli Palestinian Peace Process and the Geopolitical Landscape of the Middle East
The Israeli attack on Hamas in Qatar was like a heavy bomb, causing huge waves in the Israeli Palestinian peace process and the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.
For the Israeli Palestinian peace process, this is undoubtedly a heavy blow. The already difficult road to peace has become even more rugged due to this incident. Israel’s actions have deepened Hamas’ hatred towards Israel. Although not all Hamas leaders have been eliminated, their retaliatory mentality will only become stronger, and they are likely to take more intense armed actions in response to Israel in the future. And other political forces in Palestine can no longer trust Israel’s sincerity for peace, and leaders such as Abbas will face greater resistance in their efforts to promote peace. The risk of a violent cycle between Palestine and Israel has intensified, making it difficult to restart peace negotiations in the short term, and the achievement of peace goals is far away.
In terms of the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East, this event has also brought profound impacts. The strong military strength demonstrated by Israel has made neighboring Arab countries more wary and hostile towards it, further deteriorating the relationship between Israel and Arab countries and disrupting the fragile regional balance. Qatar and other countries that support Palestine will strengthen cooperation with other countries and build an anti Israel alliance, which may exacerbate Israel’s isolation in the Middle East. The policies of external powers such as the United States in the Middle East will also be affected, and the United States needs to readjust its strategy to balance its relations with Israel and Arab countries, and maintain its influence in the Middle East. This incident may also trigger the intensification of other conflicts in the region, such as the Iran nuclear issue, the Syrian civil war, and the interweaving of the Israeli Palestinian issue, making the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East more complex and volatile.
The negative impact of this incident on the Israeli Palestinian peace process and the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East is far-reaching. The international community must attach great importance to it and take effective measures to ease tensions, avoid further escalation of conflicts, and create favorable conditions for the Israeli Palestinian peace process and stability in the Middle East region.
5.2 Possible Future Development Trends, Perspectives, and Suggestions
The Israeli Palestinian conflict and the situation in the Middle East are facing many uncertainties after Israel’s attack on Hamas in Qatar.
From the perspective of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, both sides are likely to fall into more intense confrontation in the short term. Hamas, in retaliation for Israel’s attacks, will strengthen its armed attacks on Israel in the Gaza Strip and other areas. Israel will also increase its attack on Hamas to maintain its own security. In this way, the violent conflict between Palestine and Israel will continue to escalate, causing more casualties and property damage. In the long run, although both sides find it difficult to completely defeat each other through military force, the timing for peace negotiations is not ripe. The mediation efforts of the international community may achieve certain results, prompting both sides to temporarily cease fire, but the fundamental contradiction has not been resolved, and the conflict may erupt again at any time.
In terms of the situation in the Middle East, the relationship between Israel and Arab countries will continue to be tense. Qatar and other countries will strengthen their support for Palestinian organizations such as Hamas and engage in confrontation with Israel in political, economic, and other fields. Other Arab countries may not be directly involved in the conflict, but they will also express dissatisfaction and condemnation towards Israel. Israel’s isolation in the Middle East may further intensify, but its strong military power also gives it some influence in regional affairs. External powers such as the United States will continue to intervene in Middle East affairs in order to safeguard their own interests. The United States may attempt to mediate the Israeli Palestinian conflict, but its balance between Israel and Arab countries will be more difficult. Other conflicts in the Middle East, such as the Iran nuclear issue and the Syrian civil war, may also be further exacerbated by the impact of the Israeli Palestinian conflict, leading to a more volatile regional situation.
I believe that the international community should take the following measures regarding the Israeli Palestinian conflict and the situation in the Middle East:
One is to strengthen international mediation efforts. The United Nations and other international organizations should play a greater role in convening relevant parties for peace negotiations, promoting the return of Palestine and Israel to the negotiating table, and resolving disputes through dialogue. Countries should also actively participate in mediation and provide support and assistance for the Israeli Palestinian peace process.
The second is to increase aid to Palestine. The international community should help Palestine improve its economic situation, enhance people’s living standards, alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people, and create favorable conditions for the peace process.
The third is to promote dialogue and cooperation among Middle Eastern countries. Middle Eastern countries should strengthen communication and cooperation, resolve conflicts between each other through dialogue, and jointly maintain regional peace and stability.
Fourthly, external powers should adjust their Middle East policies. The United States and other countries should abandon the practice of favoring one side and treat the Israeli Palestinian conflict fairly and justly, playing a positive role in promoting the Israeli Palestinian peace process.
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