As our correspondent reported in the post below this one, the view in Qatar is diplomacy has taken a hit.
Doha had played mediator between Israel and Hamas, and was pressing the militant group to “respond positively” to the latest US-proposed ceasefire deal.
But since the attack on his capital, Qatari leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani condemned Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu for “dragging the region to a place where it unfortunately cannot be repaired”.
Asked if ceasefire talks will continue, Sheikh Mohammed said that after the strike “I don’t think there’s anything valid” in current talks.
But he also stopped short of saying Qatar would end its mediation efforts, adding “we will do whatever we can to stop this war”.
Hamas accusations
Hamas, meanwhile, had described the US proposal as a “humiliating surrender document” even before the strike on Qatar, but it also said then it would discuss the proposal and respond within days.
After the attack on Qatar, Hamas said the strike shows Netanyahu and his government “do not want to reach any agreement and are deliberately seeking to thwart all opportunities”.
It said it also holds the US responsible for the strike.
Egypt, another key mediator, also condemned the attack, saying it targeted Palestinian leaders who had met “to discuss ways to reach a ceasefire agreement”.
Fear in Israel
Meanwhile, in Israel, the main group representing families of the hostages expressed “deep concern and great fear” after the attack.
“The prospect of their return now faces greater uncertainty than ever, with one thing absolutely certain – their time is running out,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement.