Leaders of Arab and Islamic nations are meeting in Doha on Monday in solidarity with Qatar, following last week’s Israeli strike that targeted Hamas officials in the Gulf state.
The attack, which Hamas said killed five members but spared its leadership, has heightened regional tensions and drawn sharp criticism from Qatar, a key mediator in efforts to end the Israel-Hamas war. A Qatari security officer was among the casualties.
The emergency summit, convened by the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), opened on Sunday with foreign ministers drafting resolutions ahead of today’s leaders’ session.
“This gathering is a message that Qatar is not alone … and that Arab and Islamic states stand by it,” Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, defiant despite widespread condemnation, warned Qatar to expel Hamas officials or “bring them to justice,” insisting their presence in Doha remained the main obstacle to freeing hostages in Gaza.
Qatar accused Israel of “state terrorism” and undermining peace efforts. The United States also criticised the strike, with former President Donald Trump describing Qatar as “a close ally working hard to broker peace” and warning that such an incident must not be repeated.
The fallout has strained Israel’s ties with Gulf Arab states, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which normalised relations with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords. The UAE summoned Israel’s deputy ambassador on Friday, condemning both the strike and Netanyahu’s remarks, and reaffirmed that Qatar’s stability was vital to Gulf security.
Hamas, which launched the October 7, 2023 attacks that sparked the ongoing war, is still holding 48 hostages. Qatar remains central—alongside the US—in mediation efforts for a ceasefire and the captives’ release.
