DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Israel struck the headquarters of Hamas’ political leadership in Qatar on Tuesday as the group’s top figures gathered to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The strike on the territory of a U.S. ally marked a stunning escalation and risked upending talks aimed at winding down the war and freeing hostages.

The attack angered Qatar, an energy-rich Gulf nation hosting thousands of American troops that has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas throughout the 23-month-old war and even before. It condemned what it referred to as a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms” as smoke rose over its capital, Doha. Other key U.S. allies in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, promised their support to Qatar.

Hamas said in a statement its top leaders survived the strike but that five lower-level members were killed, including the son of Khalil al-Hayya — Hamas’ leader for Gaza and its top negotiator — three bodyguards, and the head of al-Hayya’s office. Hamas, which has sometimes only confirmed the assassination of its leaders months later, offered no immediate proof that al-Hayya and other senior figures had survived.

The United States said Israel alerted it before the strike. But American officials sought to distance the U.S. from the attack. The White House said President Donald Trump believes the strike was an “unfortunate incident” that didn’t advance peace in the region. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “made his thoughts and concerns very clear.”

She also told reporters that Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff passed along a warning to the Qataris. But Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari derided the warning, saying in a post on X that it came just as “the explosions from the Israeli strikes were being heard.”

Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, lashed out at Netanyahu for “dragging the region to a place where it unfortunately cannot be repaired.”

Asked at a news conference if cease-fire talks would continue, Sheikh Mohammed said that after the strike, “I don’t think there’s anything valid” in the current talks. But he stopped short of saying Qatar would end its mediation efforts, saying “we will do whatever we can to stop this war.”

A member of Qatar’s Internal Security Force was also killed by the Israeli strike and others were wounded, Qatar’s Interior Ministry said.

Hamas has survived numerous assassinations of top leaders and still shows cohesion in Gaza, despite having suffered major blows in Israel’s campaign, triggered by the militant group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel.

As the strike in Qatar threatens to derail ceasefire talks, Israel is gearing up for a major offensive aimed at taking over Gaza City. That escalation has been met with heavy international condemnation and opposition within Israel from those who fear it will doom the remaining hostages.

Surveillance footage aired by Al Jazeera showed the strike happened in Doha’s diplomatic quarter at a series of buildings that housed Hamas’ political wing. An Egyptian official said the strike came when a meeting by Hamas officials over the talks had been scheduled for the site. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to talk to reporters.

Israel has long threatened to strike Hamas leaders wherever they are. While it has often welcomed Qatar’s role as a mediator, alongside Egypt, it has also accused the Gulf nation of not putting enough pressure on the group.

In contrast to previous Israeli operations against senior militants abroad, Netanyahu was quick to publicly claim the strike, saying: “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it and Israel takes full responsibility.”

He said the decision was made Monday after a shooting attack in Jerusalem that killed six people and an attack on Israeli forces in Gaza that killed four soldiers.

The Israeli military said it used “precise munitions and additional intelligence” in the strike, without elaborating. It was not immediately clear how it carried out the attack.

Hamas said the attack showed that Netanyahu and his government “do not want to reach any agreement and are deliberately seeking to thwart all opportunities.” It said it also held the United States responsible for the strike.

Egypt, another key mediator with Hamas, also condemned the attack, saying it targeted Palestinian leaders who had met “to discuss ways to reach a ceasefire agreement.” It said the strike was a “direct assault” on Qatar’s sovereignty.