Qatar Seeks 'Collective Response' To Deter Israel From 'Bullying', Al-Thani Calls Netanyahu 'Rogue Player'

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani has accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of destroying any remaining chances of securing the release of hostages in Gaza, following an Israeli airstrike that killed Hamas negotiators in Doha.

In a Wednesday interview with CNN, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani condemned Tuesday's strike, which killed six Hamas members involved in ceasefire talks, as an act of“state terror.”

The negotiations had been mediated by the US and Gulf nations.“He needs to be brought to justice,” al-Thani said, referring to Benjamin Netanyahu.

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“We understand some sort of regional meeting will be held here in Qatar. We know that the countries have pulled together their own legal team. They are looking at all legal avenues to have Netanyahu tried for breaking international law,” Al Jazeera's Charles Stratford said.

On Tuesday, the Israeli military launched a strike in Doha targeting Hamas leaders as they met to discuss the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal put forward by US President Donald Trump. The attack killed at least seven people, though Hamas claimed its top leadership survived the assassination attempt.

Qatar confirmed that two of its security officers were among the dead.

“There will be a regional response,” Qatar's Prime Minister told CNN on Wednesday, noting that discussions were underway with other regional partners.“The entire Gulf region is at risk,” he warned.

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Sheikh Mohammed emphasised the need for a strong and meaningful reaction to deter Israel from what he described as continued“bullying,” and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of dragging the region into“chaos.”

The Prime Minister further said that the US contacted Qatar only 10 minutes after the attack took place, and alleged that Israel used weapons that evaded radar detection, CNN reported.

Israeli officials later confirmed that more than 10 fighter jets were involved in the operation. According to CNN, Israel has US-made F-35I stealth aircraft, which are designed to avoid radar detection.

According to CNN, Qatar's Prime Minister called Israel a "rogue player" in the Middle East.

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As per CNN, the strikes hit West Bay Lagoon, a high-end residential district in Doha where, according to Qatar's foreign ministry, members of Hamas ' political bureau had been residing. At the time of the strike, Hamas said its representatives were reviewing a US-backed ceasefire proposal. While Al-Hayya was believed to be the main target, he was not among the dead.

In a statement, Qatar's foreign ministry condemned what it described as Netanyahu's "explicit threats of future violations of state sovereignty".

The entire Gulf region is at risk.

"Netanyahu is fully aware that the hosting of the Hamas office took place within the framework of Qatar's mediation efforts requested by the United States and Israel," the ministry added.

"The negotiations were always held in an official and transparent manner, with international support and in the presence of U.S. and Israeli delegations. Netanyahu's insinuation that Qatar secretly harbored the Hamas delegation is a desperate attempt to justify a crime condemned by the entire world."

Key Takeaways

• Qatar's leadership is calling for a unified regional response to Israeli military actions.
• The airstrike has raised concerns over the potential for escalating violence in the Gulf region.
• International law and accountability are central themes in Qatar's condemnation of Israel's actions.

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