The United Nations Security Council has issued a rare unanimous condemnation of Israeli airstrikes on Qatar’s capital, Doha, with the US breaking from its traditional defence of Israel to endorse the statement.
The move underscored growing international frustration over Israel’s actions amid stalled Gaza ceasefire talks, where Qatar plays a pivotal mediation role.
The strikes occurred on September 9, targeting a meeting of senior Hamas leaders in a residential area of Doha.
Israel claimed the operation was aimed at those “directly responsible for the brutal October 7 massacre” but it killed six people,. They included five low-ranking Hamas members, the son of a key negotiator and a Qatari internal security official, according to Hamas and Qatari sources.
No senior Hamas figures were hit, although the group accused Israel of sabotaging US-brokered truce proposals.
The Security Council’s press statement, drafted by Britain and France, expressed “condemnation of the recent strikes in Doha” and “deep regret over the loss of civilian life”.
It reaffirmed support for Qatar’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity” under the UN Charter, while urging de-escalation and prioritising hostage releases from Gaza and an end to hostilities there.
For consensus to be reached, all 15 members, including the US, must agree. The US has generally sided with Israel on these matters, making consensus more difficult.
Qatar’s Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, addressed the emergency session, asking: “How can we host Israeli representatives when they have committed this attack?”
He accused Israel of exceeding “any borders, any limitations” to derail negotiations but vowed to persist in mediation efforts alongside Egypt and the US.
Qatar, which hosts the US’ Al Udeid airbase and has facilitated Hamas-Israel talks, described the assault as a “cowardly criminal assault”, claiming it violated international norms.
US Acting Ambassador Dorothy Shea echoed President Donald Trump’s view that the strikes were “unfortunate” and did not advance goals in Gaza, although she stressed Israel’s hostage recovery commitment.
Trump, who met Sheikh Mohammed later the same day, had posted: “Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar … does not advance Israel or America’s goals.”
The White House confirmed prior notification from the US military but stopped short of direct blame.
UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo called the incident an “alarming escalation” threatening regional stability, while Secretary-General António Guterres labelled it a “flagrant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the action as “completely unacceptable”, a “flagrant violation” risking escalation, during a tense meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
Others, including Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney and Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry, echoed calls for accountability.
Israel’s UN envoy, Danny Danon, defended the strike as a necessary “message”: “There is no sanctuary for terrorists. Not in Gaza, not in Tehran, not in Doha,” he said.
The episode highlighted Qatar’s delicate balancing act and could complicate fragile diplomacy, with an Arab-Islamic summit planned in Doha in the coming days, experts said.
