By Muhammad Mamman
World leaders and international bodies have condemned Israel’s unprecedented strike on Doha, the Qatari capital, which targeted senior Hamas figures. Critics say the assault, carried out on Tuesday, is a flagrant violation of international law and threatens to destabilise the wider Middle East.
The airstrike—Israel’s first on Qatari soil—hit residential buildings believed to house Hamas political bureau members. Qatar, which has played a key role in mediating ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, confirmed that the son of a Hamas leader was killed, though senior figures survived. The attack came as Hamas negotiators were meeting in Doha to consider a US-brokered ceasefire proposal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he personally authorised the strikes in retaliation for a Hamas shooting in Jerusalem on Monday that killed six people. “Israel initiated it, Israel conducted it, and Israel takes full responsibility,” Netanyahu declared. The Israeli Defence Forces and Shin Bet described the operation as a precision strike against those responsible for the October 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel.
Condemnations Pour In
The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, branded the strike a “flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”, urging all parties to work towards a permanent ceasefire.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office voiced concern over “a further escalation in violence”, while French President Emmanuel Macron called the attack “unacceptable, whatever the reason may be”, affirming solidarity with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani.
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry denounced the assault as a “blatant violation of international law” and warned it would not tolerate attacks on its sovereignty. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, and the Maldives all issued strong condemnations, describing the strike as “cowardly”, “reckless” and a “dangerous escalation”.
Nigerian Analysts Warn of Wider Fallout
Dr Joseph Ochogwu, Director-General of Nigeria’s Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, said the strike had “widened the frontiers of the crisis” and posed grave risks to global stability. His colleague, Dr Olalekan Babatunde, added that bombing Qatar—an active mediator—was “a serious violation of international law” that could further erode regional stability.
Ambassador Sulaiman Dahiru was even more scathing, calling Israel “lawless” and warning that its “irresponsible” attack had alienated Arab states and confirmed its “war-mongering behaviour”.
Rising Toll of a Prolonged War
The attack marks a new escalation in a conflict that has already spread beyond Gaza into Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and the occupied West Bank. Since Hamas’ surprise offensive in October 2023, more than 66,700 people have reportedly been killed in Gaza and the West Bank, alongside over 1,000 fatalities in Israel. Among the dead are more than 400 journalists and humanitarian workers.
With Qatar now directly drawn into the line of fire, diplomats fear the war could spiral further, undermining fragile ceasefire negotiations and dragging more states into open confrontation.
