by Reuters
Qatari officials denied that they were warned by the White House prior to Israel's strike on Doha.
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US President Donald Trump feels "very badly" about Israel's strike on Hamas targets in Qatar and directed a top aide, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar that the attack was coming, the White House said on Tuesday.
Hamas, responsible for the October 7 massacre, said five of its members had been killed in the Israeli attack in Doha, including the son of Hamas's exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya.
The United States counts Qatar as a strong ally in the Gulf and has relied on the Qataris to play an intermediary role in negotiations aimed at getting to a ceasefire in the Gaza war.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US military informed the administration on Tuesday morning that Israel's strike was going to take place. She would not answer when asked who informed the US military.
When Trump learned about it, he directed US special envoy Witkoff to warn Qatar it was coming, she said.
He assured the Qatari leader that "such a thing will not happen again on their soil." She referred to the strike as an "unfortunate incident" and said Trump "feels very badly" about the location of the attack.
The United States has been trying to arrange a ceasefire-hostage deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages and look ahead to a plan for post-conflict Gaza.
"Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar - a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States that is working very hard in bravely taking risks with us to broker peace - does not advance Israel or America's goals," Leavitt said.
"However, eliminating Hamas, who have profited off the misery of those living in Gaza, is a worthy goal. President Trump immediately directed Special Envoy Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did," she said.
Reuters
Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-866933
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