Moscow slams Israel over Qatar strike
Russia has condemned Israel’s strike on Qatar’s capital Doha as a blatant violation of international law and the UN Charter, saying the attack undermines efforts to reach a peaceful settlement between Israel and Hamas, Moscow’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
Israel struck a residential building in Doha on Tuesday in an operation involving about 15 warplanes and at least ten missiles. The raid, which reportedly left several Hamas members dead, including the son of senior official Khalil al-Hayya, was aimed at taking out the group’s political wing, according to the IDF.
Hamas said its top leadership survived what it called an assassination attempt against negotiators involved in settlement talks.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry said the strike on Qatar, “a country that plays a key mediating role in indirect talks between Hamas and Israel on ending the nearly two-year war in Gaza and securing the release of hostages,” could only be viewed as an attempt to undermine international peace efforts. Moscow urged all sides to act responsibly and refrain from steps that could further escalate the conflict.
Moscow reiterated its stance, calling for an “immediate ceasefire in Gaza” and urging a comprehensive resolution of the Palestinian issue. The Russian Foreign Ministry said “such methods of fighting those whom Israel considers its enemies and opponents deserve the strongest condemnation.”
Qatar, which is hosting Hamas officials as part of its mediation efforts, said a local security officer was among the six people killed in the strike.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani condemned the attack as an act of “state terrorism” and warned that his country reserved the right to respond. He accused his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining regional stability and said the incident has derailed US-brokered mediation efforts.
Israel, which blames Hamas for the deadly October 2023 assault on southern Israel, has vowed to hunt down the group’s leaders “wherever they are.”
Gaza’s authorities say Israel attacks since October 7, 2023 have claimed the lives of at least 64,000 people. Human rights observers have accused Israel of committing genocide by making the enclave uninhabitable and worsening famine conditions through restrictions on aid.
