Israeli defense minister: Hamas leaders abroad remain targets after surviving Qatar strike

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has threatened to pursue senior Hamas leaders located outside the Gaza Strip, stating they remain on Israel's "target list." He revealed that Hamas officials survived an Israeli strike in Qatar in September 2024 due to a malfunction, and vowed that Israel would attempt to target them again.

His remarks come as Israel announced the assassination of Ezzedine Al-Bayk, commander of the northern Gaza Brigade of the Al-Qassam Brigades, in an airstrike on Gaza City.

In a recorded statement, Katz said Israeli forces killed Al-Bayk "as part of ongoing operations against Hamas leaders in Gaza," adding that "Hamas leaders abroad are also on the target list."

He stressed that Hamas leaders who played key roles in the October 7, 2023 attack would not escape pursuit, affirming that Israel would continue to target the group's leadership both inside and outside Gaza.

Katz reveals why Hamas leaders in Qatar survived

Referring directly to the Israeli strike targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar, in September 2024, Katz said the leaders "survived once due to a malfunction," adding: "Next time will come."

On September 9, 2024, Israel targeted Hamas leaders in Qatar, specifically members of the negotiating team. At the time, sources in the group confirmed that the targeted negotiating team members survived the strike, which killed others, including a Qatari security officer.

Katz did not provide details about the nature of the "malfunction" that prevented the deaths of Hamas leaders in the previous strike, nor did he specify the names of the leaders currently on the target list or the countries that could be affected by potential Israeli operations.