Almost exactly a year ago, I interviewed Hamas leader and chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya in Doha, in a house not far from the building Israel struck on Tuesday afternoon. From the start of the war in Gaza, al-Hayya had served as Hamas’ chief negotiator, exchanging messages with Israeli and American officials through Qatari and Egyptian intermediaries.
At moments when ceasefires seemed possible, al-Hayya and the other leaders who were also targeted in Tuesday’s strike were just a short distance from Israeli and American delegations. At the time of the attack, they were discussing the latest American diplomatic proposals to end the Gaza conflict and secure the release of remaining Israeli hostages. Israel’s swift acknowledgement of the strike immediately fueled speculation online that the U.S. proposals may have been used to lure Hamas leaders into one location.
When I met al-Hayya on 3 October 2024, he arrived at a modest low-rise villa with surprisingly little security. We had to surrender our phones, and only a few bodyguards accompanied him inside. Outside, plainclothes Qatari police sat in an SUV, smoking. The leaders were relaxed and confident. In Qatar, they felt secure enough to move relatively openly in a country that has positioned itself as the “Switzerland of the Middle East,” a place where even adversaries can negotiate.
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