Regional countries renew condemnation of Israeli Doha strike as Israel vows to pursue Hamas leaders 'everywhere'

CAIRO - Regional countries on Wednesday reaffirmed their condemnation on Israel's Doha strike, and voiced their support for and solidarity with Qatar, as Israeli officials vowed to continue fighting Hamas leaders "everywhere" and targeting countries failing to act against them.

On Tuesday, Israel launched an unprecedented airstrike in the Qatari capital of Doha, targeting a building used by senior Hamas officials in what Israeli authorities described as an attempt to assassinate leaders of the group who were "directly responsible for" the attack on Oct 7, 2023 that left about 1,200 people dead.

Hamas said later that the strike occurred while its delegation was discussing a new ceasefire proposal presented by Washington. According to the group, the negotiating team survived, but six others were killed.

On Tuesday evening, Qatar said it will adopt a "comprehensive" approach to respond to the Israeli strike and deter future attacks, noting that the country will not tolerate any violations of its sovereignty.

However, Qatar confirmed that mediation on a ceasefire and prisoner exchange in Gaza will continue.

On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Doha strike was part of an operation dubbed "Fire Summit" aimed at killing Hamas's top leadership.

"Israel's security policy is clear: Israel's long arm will act against its enemies everywhere. There is no place for them to hide," he said, adding that Israel will continue to pursue all Hamas members involved in the October 2023 attack.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that countries hosting Hamas leaders or other groups regarded by Israel as enemies could themselves become targets if they failed to act against them.

Amid the latest developments, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said in a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty in Abu Dhabi that the UAE backs all measures Qatar may take to safeguard its security and safety.

Respecting national sovereignty is a cornerstone of international relations, and any violation constitutes a blatant breach of international law and the UN Charter, he was quoted as saying by a statement released by the UAE Foreign Ministry, urging global actions in halting "Israeli aggressions".

In a phone call on Wednesday between Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the two leaders voiced "full solidarity" with Qatar, and called the Israeli strike an unacceptable encroachment on Qatar's sovereignty.

They "expressed their categorical condemnation of this assault, considering it a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter", the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

The two sides also reiterated their "absolute support" for Qatar's efforts to safeguard its security and stability, particularly in light of its joint mediation efforts with Egypt to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and end "the catastrophic humanitarian tragedy caused by the Israeli war".

During his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Amman on Wednesday, Jordan's King Abdullah II condemned the Israeli Doha strike, rejected Israeli plans to expand control over Gaza and settlement activity in the West Bank, stressed the need for a ceasefire in Gaza and unhindered humanitarian access, and for implementing the two-state solution, according to a Royal Court statement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, in a phone call on Wednesday with his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, condemned Israel's "terrorist aggression" against Qatar, and voiced Iran's solidarity with and support for Qatar.

Given Israel's "ongoing genocide in Gaza, frequent aggressions and terrorist actions against Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, criminal attack against Iran and now military aggression against Qatar", Israel has become a "real and immediate threat" to regional and global peace and security, Araghchi said.

Condemning the "treacherous and vicious attack" in Doha, the Tunisian Foreign Ministry in a statement on Wednesday voiced full solidarity with and support for Qatar and its efforts to defend its national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security.

It is important to materialize a common vision for Arab security as an unavoidable strategic choice to confront all threats posed by Israel to regional and global peace, security and stability, it said.

Algeria's official APS news agency reported Wednesday that Algeria has made a request together with Qatar to hold an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on the "Israeli aggression" on Qatar.

Algeria believes that Israel's expanded attacks, including on Hamas negotiators in ceasefire talks in Qatar, prove it disregards international norms and wants no peace, APS reported, adding that Algeria urges global actions to deter Israel, end its "crimes" against Palestinians, and prevent further regional escalation.