DOHA (Dunya News) – Qatar on Monday hosted an emergency summit of Arab and Islamic leaders in Doha after Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders inside the Gulf state, an escalation that has drawn widespread regional and global condemnation.
The summit brought together key heads of state and government, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and representatives from across the Middle East and beyond.
Opening the meeting, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani welcomed the leaders to Doha but struck a forceful tone, warning that “the Greater Israel agenda is a severe threat to global peace, and lasting peace in the Middle East will remain impossible unless the Palestinian issue is resolved.” He said Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians, adding the assault had crossed all limits of crimes against humanity.
PM Shehbaz arrives in Qatar to attend emergency Arab-Islamic summit
The emir said the Israeli strike on Doha was a grave act of aggression, one that violated Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He maintained that Israel was sabotaging negotiations by targeting Hamas leaders while they were studying a US-backed ceasefire proposal mediated by Qatar and Egypt. “If Israel wishes to assassinate the Hamas leaders, why then engage in negotiations? If you wish to insist on the liberation of hostages, why then do they assassinate all negotiators?” he asked.
Israeli strike on Hamas members in Doha
The Israeli attack killed five Hamas members, though not its senior leadership, as well as a member of Qatar’s internal security forces. Sheikh Tamim said those who assassinate negotiators ensure the failure of talks, branding Israel’s actions as cowardly and treacherous. He insisted that Qatar had pursued sincere mediation efforts for peace in the region and would not abandon this role despite Israeli provocation.
Netanyahu gambled by targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar. It appears to have backfired
A draft resolution prepared ahead of the summit warned that the Israeli strike and other hostile acts – including genocide, starvation, ethnic cleansing, and settlement expansion – threaten the fragile path towards coexistence. It added that such actions jeopardise existing normalisation agreements with Israel as well as future prospects.
US state secretary in Jerusalem
Speaking in Jerusalem alongside US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not rule out further strikes on Hamas leaders “wherever they are”. Rubio, who will travel to Doha following his Israel visit, called on Qatar to remain engaged in mediation to secure the release of 48 hostages still held in Gaza and to advance disarmament of Hamas.
Rubio is in Israel in wake of Qatar attack as Israeli strikes intensify in northern Gaza
US President Donald Trump expressed concern at the strike, cautioning Israel to be “very, very careful”, while affirming that Qatar had been “a great ally” to Washington.
Mounting casualties in Gaza
While diplomacy unfolded in Doha, Israeli forces continued operations in Gaza, where local health authorities reported at least 16 Palestinians killed in airstrikes on two homes and a tent sheltering displaced families. The Israeli army also destroyed a 16-floor building in western Gaza City, the tallest in the enclave, after issuing warnings for families to evacuate. The army said the structure was used to conceal “terrorist infrastructure”.
According to local authorities, more than 64,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s campaign began in response to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack that left 1,200 dead in
Israel and saw 251 hostages captured. Israel rejects accusations of genocide, insisting its actions are self-defence.
Qatar’s role in mediating Israel-Hamas conflict
Qatar has long played a central role as mediator between Israel and Hamas, hosting the group’s political leadership at US request to maintain negotiation channels. Yet Doha has faced increasing criticism from hardliners in Israel who accuse it of shielding Hamas fighters. Netanyahu has pledged to strike all those linked to the October 7 assault, explicitly keeping Qatar on the list of possible targets.
The bitter relationship between Israel and Arab states
Despite this, Qatar has remained committed to ceasefire mediation, working closely with Egypt, the United States, and regional partners such as Pakistan. The country’s strategic position, energy wealth, and history of acting as a diplomatic broker make it a pivotal player in the region’s shifting dynamics.