Hamas says US ‘accomplice’ in attack as funerals held

AFP | Doha

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Hamas accused the United States yesterday of complicity in Israel’s deadly attack on its negotiators in Qatar, lambasting Israel for seeking to kill off Gaza truce talks as Doha buried the dead.

Tuesday’s unprecedented Israeli strikes on a Gulf state sent shockwaves through a region long shielded from conflicts and halted already floundering Gaza talks.

“This crime was... an assassination of the entire negotiation process and a deliberate targeting of the role of our mediating brothers in Qatar and Egypt,” Hamas official Fawzi Barhoum said in a televised statement.

In Doha, tight security surrounded the mosque where prayers were held as the Gulf state’s ruler joined mourners.

One coffin bearing a Qatari flag and five others bearing Palestinian flags were brought into the mosque, live footage from Qatar television showed.

Facing the coffins, Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, prayed alongside dozens of mourners, some wearing traditional white robes, others wearing military uniform.

The interior ministry said the dead would be buried in the Mesaimeer Cemetery after the funeral at Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque.

Authorities beefed up security, with checkpoints on access roads to the mosque.

Barhoum accused Washington of being “a full accomplice” in the Israeli attack.

The White House said Trump did not agree with Israel’s decision to take military action.

He said he was not notified in advance and when he heard, he asked his envoy Steve Witkoff to warn Qatar immediately -- but the attack had already started.

Reassessing everything

Israel said it targeted Hamas leaders but the group said its top officials survived. Hamas said five of its members were killed -- top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya’s son Hamam, his office director Jihad Labad and bodyguards Ahmad Mamlouk, Abdallah Abdelwahd and Mumen Hassoun.

Qatari Lance Corporal Badr Saad Mohammed al-Humaidi al-Dosari was also killed.

Barhoum said Hayya’s wife, his slain son’s wife and his granchildren were wounded in the attack on the compound where he lived.

In an interview with CNN on Wednesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said he could not confirm Hayya’s fate.

The Hamas chief negotiator was not seen at the funeral, in the footage.