Israel launched an airstrike on Hamas in Doha, Qatar, on September 9. Six people were killed, including 5 Hamas leaders and one Qatari security official. The airstrike further destabilized the Middle East. Let’s take a look.
Attack on Doha
The attack occurred at ~3:46 PM local time on September 9 in the Leqtaifiya district of Doha. This area is near embassies and residential compounds. The Israelis struck during a meeting to discuss a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal in the Gaza war. The meeting involved senior Hamas officials; however, Israel viewed this as a stalling tactic and not a genuine attempt to resolve the conflict in good faith. Hamas has been resistant to all U.S. and Israeli proposals for a ceasefire. Hamas has been stalling to release the remaining hostages and the remains of hostages who have died to keep leverage in the peace talks.
Israel commits to eliminating Hamas wherever they are located. Qatar has been harboring senior Hamas officials for years. These officials have resided in Doha for over a decade. Their presence has become especially prominent since 2012, when Qatar began hosting Hamas’s political bureau under leaders like Khaled Mashal. Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani called the strike “state terrorism” and a “reckless and treacherous aggression.” He emphasized that the attack occurred while Qatar was hosting ceasefire negotiations, with Israel fully aware of the talks. Qatar identifies itself as a “neutral” mediator in the peace talks.
What Does This Mean for Peace in the Region?
The airstrike has hurt the peace talks as well as the chances for Israel to get the remaining hostages back. Hostage families expressed grief, anger, and fear after Israel launched the airstrike in Doha. Many believed the strike shattered their last hope of seeing their loved ones return. Qatar has not formally withdrawn from its role as a neutral mediator in Gaza ceasefire talks. Qatari leaders state that Israel’s strike deeply shook the trust that underpins their mediation role, and they are now reviewing whether to continue their involvement. The perspective that Qatar was a “neutral” party to these talks was always in question based on its harboring Hamas criminals for over a decade. If they decide to step back from mediating the ceasefire, however, hopes for the remaining hostages’ release and the end of the war are in serious question.
The airstrike was a brazen act that could have been an even bigger disaster if the strike had missed its target and hit residential areas and/or Qatari neighborhoods. Unfortunately for Israel and the hostages, other Arab nations are standing with Qatar (not unexpectedly), and international sentiment continues to isolate Israel, even though they were the victims of the October 7, 2023, raid.
The Catholic View
The Catholic view is peace at all costs. Jesus’ message of peace was not just the absence of conflict but a deep, Godly reconciliation that transformed hearts, communities, and destinies. That being said, it is clear that Hamas is evil incarnate. The brutality of the attacks on October 7, 2023, was of a nature we had not seen since the Holocaust. Israel has largely destroyed Hamas, Hezbollah, and other Iranian proxies since. Historically, apart from the U.S., Israel stands alone in this fight; however, several Arab countries had already begun pressuring Hamas to surrender or accept a ceasefire before the Israeli strike in Doha on September 9. This pressure came in response to a U.S.-backed proposal that many Arab leaders viewed as a final opportunity to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages. The U.N. has not been a factor at all in this war.
Jesus never sidestepped injustice but always addressed it at the root level—human hearts, not just political systems. He always called for repentance and spoke truth to leaders, urging them to “lay down their swords” and reconcile:
In Matthew 26:52, Jesus says, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Jesus said this to Peter after Peter had cut off the ear of the ‘high priest’s’ servant at Gethsemane.
The U.S. must take a much more proactive role in ending this war. We have significant economic levers that can be used to force peace in the region. Israel has really hurt itself with the Doha strike, even though Qatar had been harboring these terrorists for too long. The fate of the hostages is in God’s hands as it has always been. I pray that President Trump and his team will become more of a factor here and help drive peace in the region.
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Peace
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