US joins UN Security Council condemnation of Israeli strikes on Qatar

The United Nations Security Council has condemned Israel’s strikes on a residential compound in the Qatari capital Doha, which targeted senior members of Hamas.

The statement which did not directly name Israel was backed by all 15 Security Council members, including the US, which traditionally blocks actions against its close ally.

“Council members underscored the importance of de-escalation and expressed their solidarity with Qatar,” read the statement, drafted by the United Kingdom and France. Israel defended its decision to mount the attack.

Qatar has played a key role in brokering diplomatic efforts to end the Israel-Gaza war, serving as a mediator of indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel.

It has hosted the Hamas political bureau since 2012 and is a close US ally, hosting a large American airbase in the desert south-west of Doha.

The emergency meeting was requested by Qatar, Algeria, Pakistan and Somalia. Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani travelled to New York to attend.

“This attack puts the international community before a test,” al-Thani told the council.

“Israel, led by blusterous extremists, has gone beyond any borders, any limitations when it comes to behaviour. We are unable to predict what Israel will do. How can we host Israeli representatives when they have committed this attack?”

Meanwhile Hamas said it’s leadership survived the attack in Doha but confirmed the death of six people

The group said the negotiating team was meeting to discuss the latest US proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip at a residential compound in Doha when it was badly damaged by a series of explosions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his own part said the strike was “fully justified” because it targeted senior Hamas leaders who organized the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war.