Doha [Qatar], September 14 : Leaders from across the Middle East are gathering in the Qatari capital to discuss a coordinated response to Israel's recent strikes on Doha, Al Jazeera reported. The attacks, which Israel said targeted Hamas leadership, have sparked concerns across the region and beyond.
Israel launched missiles as Hamas members convened in their Doha office to discuss a deal proposed by US President Donald Trump to end Israel's two-year war on Gaza, Al Jazeera added. The attack came hours after Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar claimed that Israel had accepted the Trump proposal, which would release all 48 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and a ceasefire.
The airstrike killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security official, although it did not eliminate the Hamas leadership it targeted. The United Nations Security Council unanimously condemned the attack on Thursday.
Qatar has invited leaders from Arab and Islamic nations to meetings leading up to an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Monday. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed bin Mohammed al-Ansari told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that "the summit will discuss a draft resolution on the Israeli attack", which represents another instance of "state terrorism practised by Israel," Al Jazeera reported.
A meeting of foreign ministers on Sunday will work on the draft, which is expected to strengthen international condemnation of Israel's actions. Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, who met Trump in New York on Friday, said Qatar will pursue a collective response to the attack, warning that it has put the entire region at risk.
Qatar has historically played a mediation role, seeking to end Israel's war on Gaza and promote regional unity. During the upcoming meetings, it will leverage pro-Palestinian sentiment and opposition to Israel's strikes expressed across the region. Leaders from the 57-member Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the 22-member Arab League are expected to attend, including Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
On Saturday, Iran's security chief Ali Larijani issued a stern warning to Islamic governments, saying they must "form a 'joint operations room' against the madness" of Israel rather than resorting to mere statements, Al Jazeera reported. The full list of dignitaries for Monday's summit has not yet been confirmed.
The summit is expected to issue a strongly worded statement against Israel and explore measures to address Israeli aggression in the region. Israel's military operations have also extended to Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen as its war on Gaza and raids on the occupied West Bank continue.
The strikes have undermined the sense of security in Qatar and neighbouring states, prompting some to consider new security or defence arrangements with the US beyond arms purchases. Political dynamics remain sensitive, as Washington continues to support Israel despite rising international frustration.
As leaders and ministers arrived in Doha on Sunday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio travelled to Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials to discuss, among other issues, plans to annexe large parts of the West Bank.
The UAE has described this annexation as a "red line" that could undermine the US-sponsored Abraham Accords, while Saudi Arabia and other regional states are seen as increasingly distant from normalising ties with Israel, Al Jazeera reported.
Potential responses by Arab states could include downgrading diplomatic relations, leveraging financial influence, or using sovereign wealth funds with international investments to impose trade limitations on Israel. Qatar has also indicated that part of its response will be legal, including pursuing Israeli violations of international law.
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