Hamas leader Ghazi Hamad surfaces after Qatar strike, says Israel has ‘no red lines’

Dubai: Hamas political bureau member Ghazi Hamad, who was among those targeted in Israel’s missile strike on Doha last Tuesday, appeared on Al Jazeera for his first interview since the attack.

“We are not the only target; the entire nation is,” Hamad declared, accusing Israel of pursuing a war without limits.

“Netanyahu talks about changing the face of the Middle East, and that requires an Arab response.”

Hamad described the meeting that was struck, saying leaders had gathered to discuss an American ceasefire proposal when the missiles hit. “Less than an hour later, we heard explosions and realised it was an assassination attempt. As residents of Gaza, we recognised these sounds. We tried to flee quickly — and we succeeded.”

Media reports on Wednesday said the IDF deliberately limited the force of its warheads, fearing that a larger blast would kill Qatari civilians and strain ties with both Qatar and the United States.

Prisoner exchange

The Hamas leader dismissed US President Donald Trump’s recent threats, insisting: “We are not afraid of Trump’s threats to unleash hell upon us. We do not take orders from him on how to treat enemy prisoners. We treat them according to our own methods and religion.”

He argued that the only path to releasing hostages was through a prisoner exchange and an end to the war. “Anyone who wants the hostages freed must order Netanyahu to close a deal and stop the war,” he said.

Hamad also blasted Washington’s role as a mediator. “Our experience with the American mediator was bitter. They had no credibility, they edited clauses in proposals and coordinated with Israel. Trump even gave permission for the attack in Qatar,” he alleged.

Both Trump and Netanyahu have denied any prior coordination over the strike, with Netanyahu calling it an “independent” Israeli action.

Hamad is the second Hamas figure to appear publicly since the Doha strike, following spokesman Taher Al Nunu earlier this week. Israeli analysts say the clearest sign of the strike’s failure will be if Khalil Al Hayya, Hamas’s Qatar-based leader and the presumed primary target, makes a public appearance in the coming days.