VCU Qatar students shelter, classes cancelled following Israeli airstrike in Doha

Students at the VCUarts Qatar campus took shelter on Tuesday after Israeli forces struck a building in Doha, the nation’s capital, serving as a headquarters for Hamas political leaders.

Israel targeted a complex near a gas station in Doha’s West Bay Lagoon district, according to the BBC. It was roughly 12 kilometers away from the VCUarts campus in the Education City district. 

“While the strikes did not occur in close proximity to Education City, VCUarts Qatar conveyed a shelter in place advisory to the community for several hours, per guidance from the U.S. Embassy in Qatar,” VCU spokesman Michael Porter stated. “Classes were cancelled for the remainder of the day. There was no evacuation, although many students, faculty and staff went home when they could.”

Campus leadership has been issuing updates with the community as they became available, Porter stated. They are in close contact with the Qatar Foundation, other partner universities, the U.S. Embassy and colleagues at VCU in Richmond.

VCU, along with other universities and schools in Qatar, resumed operations on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

Strike marks escalation in regional conflict 

Hamas’ top figureheads were meeting in Doha to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to the Associated Press. 

“For years, these members of the Hamas leadership have led the terrorist organization’s operations, are directly responsible for the brutal Oct. 7 massacre, and have been orchestrating and managing the war against the state of Israel,” the Israel Defence forces stated. 

At least 64,000 Palestinians have been killed throughout the ongoing genocide in Gaza under Israeli strikes, ground operations and aid blockades leading to starvation. Israeli intelligence suggests 83% of them were civilians. 

The strike on Doha marks the seventh country Israel has attacked since Oct. 7, 2023. 

Israel notified the United States military of the strike before it happened, President Donald Trump stated in a Truth Social post on Tuesday. He condemned the attack. 

“This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” Trump stated. “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation and close ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”