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ceasefire
Global Condemnation for Israeli Attack on Hamas Negotiators as Qatar Suspends Ceasefire Mediation
One policy expert called the bombing "an attack on diplomacy itself" that could do long-term harm to US credibility.
Sep 09, 2025
Following Israel's assassination attempt against members of Hamas' negotiating team in Doha, Qatar on Tuesday, Qatari officials announced the country's mediation efforts aimed at reaching a ceasefire deal to end Israel's bombardment of Gaza would be suspended—suggesting the Israeli military is now entering "full ethnic cleansing mode," according to one academic.
The total breakdown of the ceasefire talks comes after Israel's bombing in Doha, which Israeli officials claimed responsibility for on Tuesday and said was aimed at assassinating the negotiators—but ultimately killed six people who were not involved with Hamas' team.
The Trump administration said Tuesday it had been aware of the attack before it was carried out and claimed it had warned Qatari officials—which Qatar denied.
Analysts suggested the lead-up to the bombing—with the US securing Hamas and Israeli support for a vague ceasefire proposal that was to be discussed in Doha—pointed to a scenario in which the US helped orchestrate the attack and aided "an attack on diplomacy itself," as Center for International Policy executive vice president Matt Duss said.
Duss, a former foreign policy adviser to US Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), warned the assassination attempt could cause long-lasting harm to the United States' reputation.
"This is an attack in the capital of a major non-NATO US ally in the midst of US-supported negotiations—against officials who were originally hosted there at the United States' request," said Duss. "If it was conducted with the approval of the US, it's the latest nail in the coffin of [President Donald] Trump's claim to be a 'peacemaker.' This will have disastrous consequences for future peace efforts, and for US security."
"This collaboration is evidenced by the blatant plan to lure ceasefire negotiators into a single location under the pretense of peace talks, only to attempt to assassinate them."
The Trump administration's response to the attack was ambiguous, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt saying the bombing did not "advance Israel or America's goals" but adding that "eliminating Hamas... is a worthy goal."
The attack, said Duss, makes clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu intends to see Israel's accelerating campaign of ethnic cleansing in Gaza through to the end," and has no intention of reaching a ceasefire deal.
Gregg Carlstrom of The Economist said that as far as countries in the Gulf region are concerned, the question of whether Trump knew about the attack ahead of time "is somewhat irrelevant."
"If yes, he approved a strike on a country under an American security guarantee," said Carlstrom. "If no, he couldn't prevent said strike. Either way, the question for Gulf leaders is the same: What is the value of American security guarantees?"
Condemnation of the attacks poured in from global leaders including United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, who said Israel's actions were "a clear violation of [Qatar's] sovereignty and territorial integrity" and accused Israeli officials of "destroying" efforts for a permanent ceasefire.
Other countries including Algeria, Jordan, and Egypt also decried the attack on Qatar's "sovereignty" and accused Israel of undermining the talks.
The peace group CodePink asserted that "the US is fully aware of Israel's intentions and actively collaborates with it" to reach the "true objective" of "the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians."
"This collaboration is evidenced by the blatant plan to lure ceasefire negotiators into a single location under the pretense of peace talks, only to attempt to assassinate them," said CodePink. "This is a complete rejection of a diplomatic solution—something Israel has no intention of reaching. This attack on foreign soil also serves as a direct challenge to Qatar, proving that neither its borders, laws, nor financial influence can deter Israeli strikes."
The assassination attempt proves, said the group, that "peace negotiations are essentially antithetical to Israel and a trap for more assassinations and attacks on sovereign nations."
"It is time world leaders take a principled stand in defense of the people of Gaza," said the group. "The more the international community fails to hold Israel accountable, the more brazen it becomes in their war crimes."
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'What Other Country Gets Away With All of This?': Israel Bombs Hamas Ceasefire Negotiating Team in Doha
"The whole point was to gather people together to discuss the peace offer to kill them," said one journalist.
Sep 09, 2025
This is a developing story... Please check back for possible updates.
The government of Qatar slammed Israel for a "cowardly" attack in violation of international law on Tuesday, an assassination attempt which targeted members of Hamas' negotiating team in the capital city of Doha who had gathered to discuss a new Gaza ceasefire proposal put forth by US President Donald Trump.
Al Jazeera reported on "multiple explosions... in Qatar's capital, Doha, this afternoon, followed by plumes of smoke that rose above an area where some embassies are located."
Reporting from Jordan for the outlet, Hamdah Salhut wrote that the airstrikes against the negotiators were "surely unprecedented."
"[Qatar] is a country that is hosting mediation efforts to reach a ceasefire, that has been working tirelessly to get to some sort of an agreement to end the war," said Salhut. "This is clearly going to be seen as an escalation because the Israeli army is operating in a way that they haven't before, saying they are taking new measures, especially in light of the plans to seize Gaza City."
As they attacked the negotiating team, the Israel Defense Forces also demanded the evacuation of 1.3 million Palestinians from Gaza City and areas north of it, as they intensify attacks there.
The assassination attempt came hours after Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel had accepted the US proposal, many of the details of which have not been disclosed. According to Al Jazeera, the proposal was similar to one previously proposed by the US which would require the release of half of the living Israeli captives who were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, after which a 60-day ceasefire would begin with negotiations for a permanent end to the war.
That deal was agreed to by both parties before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backed out.
A spokesperson for Qatar's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the attack on the negotiating team was a "criminal attack" that constitutes "a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and [is] a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar."
"While the state of Qatar strongly condemns this assault, it confirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional security, nor any act that targets its security and sovereignty," said the ministry. "Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they are available."
Mohammed El-Kurd, a Palestinian writer at The Nation, noted that the attack came hours after the bombing of the Global Sumud Flotilla that was bound for Gaza with humanitarian aid and anchored in Tunis.
"These are brazen acts of war. What other country gets away with all of this?" said El-Kurd, adding that the assassination attempt "was reportedly coordinated with the US."
Ryan Grim, co-founder of Drop Site News, also said the US appeared to have helped orchestrate the attack.
"Here's what just happened: Trump sent a peace deal to Hamas, Hamas met to discuss it in Doha, where the US is mediating talks and has a base, and Israel bombed them, presumably with US support," wrote Grim. "The strike in Doha was aimed at Hamas negotiators who were gathered to discuss Trump's ceasefire offer, according to a Hamas official speaking on Al Jazeera, much as Trump carried out fake nuclear talks with Iran in order to kill Iranian negotiators. That might explain why Trump's offer was so short and scant on details. The whole point was to gather people together to discuss the peace offer to kill them."
Michael Scaglione of the podcast "Two Doomed Men" said that if Grim's suggested version of events is confirmed, US President Donald Trump "has now okayed more than one 'Red Wedding'-style deception/manipulation under the pretext of negotiating."
"The more of this that occurs," he said, "the harder it becomes to enter good faith negotiations with anyone."
Matt Duss, executive vice president of the Center for International Policy, called Tuesday's attack "absolutely insane."
US military sources in the region told Al Jazeera that they had not been aware of the attack before it occurred, but said they could not "speak to whether or not the White House was informed."
"So the genocidal Israeli military just struck another sovereign nation, this time Qatar, an American ally that has been working alongside Washington to media ceasefire negotiations, where it targeted Hamas' political leaders who were reportedly gathering to discuss US proposal," said Yousef Munayyer, a Palestinian-American political analyst.
Tuesday's attack in Doha, he added, "should put an end to any idea that Israel is interested in a deal in Gaza, if anyone was still entertaining that. Its sole focus is genocide in Gaza."
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Why the Debate at the DNC Was a Victory for Palestinian Rights
Chair Martin’s decision to withdraw his resolution and create a task force to continue the conversation within the party was a recognition of the reality that the status quo has become unacceptable and untenable.
Sep 02, 2025
While some supporters of Palestinian rights saw the developments at last week’s meeting of the Democratic National Committee as a defeat, it was, in fact, a victory. Here is what happened at the meeting and why I feel that progress was made:
During the party’s Resolutions Committee two separate resolutions were debated. While both called for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, one, submitted by young Democrats, went further, condemning Israeli actions in Gaza and calling for a suspension of US arms sales to Israel and US recognition of Palestinian statehood. In response to this resolution, the party’s establishment submitted an alternative that included no such criticism of Israeli policies or any mention of stopping US arms shipments to Israel.
There was intense lobbying for and against both efforts, with pro-Israel groups and some elected officials and party donors warning members of the committee that passing the resolution critical of Israel would divide the Democratic Party, costing it contributions and victories in the midterm elections. On the other side, committee members each reported receiving upward of 5,000 emails or phone calls from young Democrats and progressive activists urging them to vote for the resolution demanding an end to US weapons to Israel.
As expected, the establishment resolution won, and the young Democrats’ effort lost. But immediately after the vote, the Democratic Party’s chair, Ken Martin, after speaking with the most critical resolution’s sponsors, rose to announce that he was asking that, in the name of party unity, his resolution be withdrawn and not presented to the entire Democratic National Committee for their acceptance. He further pledged to create a task force of stakeholders in this debate to continue this conversation and find solutions that can be brought back to the party for consideration.
Some advocates, on both sides of this debate, were disappointed. On the pro-Israel side, Martin was derided for his weakness in “surrendering to the far left,” while some supporters of Palestinian rights said that the way the issue was handled would only delay Israel’s day of reckoning, cost more Palestinian lives, and further alienate young voters from the Democratic Party.
Both are wrong. Martin’s decision was politically thoughtful, and in reality, advocates for a change in US policy toward Israel won a significant victory. Before explaining why this is so, one important fact must be understood: The Democratic National Committee is not a legislative body. It doesn’t make policy. Policy is made by Congress and the White House. Even if the committee had passed a resolution calling for ending arms sales to Israel, nothing would have happened. What the party can do is reflect where Democrats stand on critical issues facing the country and help to move forward the discussion of these matters. This is exactly what the resolution critical of Israel had forced onto the agenda last week.
What also must be considered is while the debate over these resolutions was only the fourth time that any such discussion of the Palestinian issue has occurred at an official party meeting during the past four decades, it was the first time the discussion wasn’t in response to a presidential candidate. This debate was a grassroots-led effort.
While pro-Israel groups still have some sway, their clout has been diminished.
In 1984 and 1988, I was able to represent the Jesse Jackson campaign in introducing platform planks calling for Palestinian rights. The issue wasn’t introduced again in a party gathering until 2016, when representing the Bernie Sanders campaign, we again brought forward a platform resolution on Palestine. In all of those previous instances, we lost and no one in the party establishment cared to find a way to accommodate our concerns. In fact, in the wake of the defeat of our 1988 resolution calling for “mutual recognition, territorial compromise, and self-determination for both Israelis and Palestinians,” I was asked to vacate my post on the Democratic National Committee because I was told that the presence of a pro-Palestinian advocate would be a liability for the party!
This year’s outcome was clearly different, and it is due to the fact that public opinion has dramatically changed. And while pro-Israel groups still have some sway, their clout has been diminished. Polls show that Democrats are deeply offended by Israel’s actions. They are far more sympathetic to Palestinians and want an end to US military and political support for Israel, often by margins of between 7 or 10 to 1. And as we approach the 2026 midterm elections, the issues of support for Palestinians and ending arms sales to Israel have become litmus tests for Democratic senators and members of Congress.
Given this, Chair Martin’s decision to withdraw his resolution and create a task force to continue the conversation within the party was a recognition of the shifting tides within the party and the reality that the status quo has become unacceptable and untenable. Supporters of Palestinian rights should understand that this was a victory and an important step forward in the long struggle for justice.
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