Israel's president said that the IDF targeted Hamas' chief in Qatar because he objected to a ceasefire deal towards ending the war in Gaza.Isaac Herzog told the Daily Mail on Wednesday: 'We targeted Khalil al Hayya because he objected to a deal on Gaza. He kept saying "Yes, but" in negotiations.''He is number one in Hamas and has the blood of thousands of Israelis on his hands,' the president said ahead of a summit with Sir Keir Starmer in London today.'[Hayya] was one of the planners of October 7.'Israel closed ranks to defend the decision to target Hamas leaders in Doha on Tuesday after the attack on negotiators drew rare rebuke from Donald Trump.Its ambassador to the U.S. said on Wednesday it was the 'right' decision to target a complex where a delegation was meeting to discuss Trump's ceasefire proposals.'We don't always act in the interests of the United States,' Danny Danon told Israel's 103FM radio station, while emphasizing 'appreciation' for U.S. support in general.Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that the military had 'acted unilaterally', and said the strikes could 'open the door' to an end to the war in Gaza.He said that Israel had accepted the proposal put forward by the Trump administration. 'If President Trump's proposal is accepted, the war can end immediately. We can begin once again to pursue the expansion of peace in our region for the benefit of all.' Security footage captures the moment of an Israeli strike targeting Hamas leaders in Doha A damaged building, following an Israeli attack on Hamas leaders, according to an Israeli official, in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday FILE PHOTO: Khalil Al-Hayya at a conference in Beirut in November 2023 FILE PHOTO: Israeli President Isaac Herzog (left) at the Vatican on September 3, 2025The unprecedented attack on Qatar, a U.S. ally, nonetheless drew pointed criticism from Trump.'I'm not thrilled about the whole situation,' he told reporters on Tuesday. 'We want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about the way that went down today.''I view Qatar as a strong Ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack,' he added in a post on social media.While the White House initially said it had been notified, Trump said he was not alerted in advance.Qatar was incensed by the attack, condemning the 'cowardly' strikes. Its prime minister said Doha reserves the right to respond.Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani denounced Israel's Netanyahu for 'dragging the region to a place where it unfortunately cannot be repaired'.Asked whether ceasefire talks will continue in the wake of the strikes, he said that 'I don't think there's anything valid' in current talks.Qatar has played a central role in helping mediate ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas.