The world is questioning the strategy behind a U.S.-endorsed Israeli strike on Hamas leaders in Doha, which came just as the Palestinian group was considering a peace plan proposed by Donald Trump himself. This apparent contradiction—offering an olive branch with one hand while allegedly authorizing an attack with the other—has thrown Middle East diplomacy into a state of confusion and suspicion.
The sequence of events is telling. Trump’s envoy delivered a ceasefire proposal, which Hamas, despite initial public scorn, had agreed to discuss. The group’s negotiators gathered in Qatar for this purpose. It was precisely at this moment of potential diplomatic engagement that the attack was launched, with reports from an Israeli news channel claiming Trump “gave the green light.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has been unequivocal, taking full responsibility for the strike that targeted senior Hamas figures. He framed it as a necessary act of retribution and self-defense. The U.S. has maintained a more cautious public stance, with a White House official only confirming that Israel had provided advance notice of the operation.
The fallout from this “double game” is significant. It undermines the credibility of U.S.-led peace initiatives and could be perceived by Hamas and its allies as an act of profound bad faith. Qatar has already condemned the strike, and the future of any negotiated settlement now appears bleaker than ever, potentially sabotaged by the very powers that claimed to be seeking peace.