Israeli defense officials admit uncertainty over whether Hamas leaders were killed in the Doha airstrike, with early reports suggesting limited damage due to restrained munitions.
Israel’s defense establishment remains uncertain about the outcome of this week’s airstrike in Doha, Qatar, which was aimed at six senior Hamas officials.
As of Thursday morning, military sources told Galei Zahal that the working assumption is the Hamas leaders were indeed inside the targeted structure — but that they may have survived, or were only partially injured, rather than eliminated.
Early assessments reveal the building was not completely destroyed. Large sections remained intact, a result of Israel’s decision to use smaller precision munitions in an effort to avoid civilian casualties in the surrounding area.
According to reports, around ten bombs were deployed, but the damage remained focused and limited.
Senior defense officials caution it may take several more days before Israel can confirm the true results of the strike, including whether any of the Hamas leadership sustained serious injuries or fatalities.
The lack of clarity underscores the complex balance between operational effectiveness and the need to minimize collateral damage — even in one of Israel’s most daring overseas operations in recent years.
