The Security Council postpones its emergency meeting on Israeli strikes in Qatar at the request of Doha
The South Korean presidency of the United Nations Security Council announced the postponement of the emergency meeting that was scheduled to discuss the Israeli strikes in the Qatari capital, Doha, from Wednesday to Thursday afternoon.
The decision came "at the request of Qatar, so that the Qatari Prime Minister can participate," according to a statement from the presidency. It was not immediately clear whether Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani would attend in person.
Doha witnessed a series of explosions on Tuesday in the Katara neighborhood, targeting a private complex led by Hamas in the Al-Qatifiyah area. The Israeli raids resulted in the death of 5 Palestinians, including Hamam Al-Hayya, the son of the movement's leadership council member Khalil Al-Hayya, and his office manager Jihad Labed, along with three companions, as well as a Qatari security man.
According to sources, the targeted complex includes offices and homes belonging to Hamas leaders and officials and their security guards, where a medium-sized villa belonging to Khalil Al-Hayya, specifically the private office inside it, was subjected to the "most intense" attack.
In response to the strikes, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned what he described as a "blatant" Israeli violation of Qatar's sovereignty. Guterres stated: "All parties must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, not its destruction," noting that "Qatar plays a very positive role in trying to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all detainees held by Hamas."
For its part, the European Union considered in a statement issued on Tuesday evening that the airstrike "represents a violation of international law and the territorial integrity of Qatar," warning of the potential for further escalation of violence in the region. A statement from a spokesperson for the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, on the platform "X" said: "We express our full solidarity with the authorities and people of Qatar, which is a strategic partner of the European Union," adding, "Any escalation of the war in Gaza must be avoided, as it is not in anyone's interest. We will continue to support all efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire in Gaza."
Media sources reported that the Israeli strike in Doha targeted a Hamas delegation negotiating during discussions on U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of prisoners.
