After Israeli strike
\nNetanyahu defies criticism, warns Qatar to expel or prosecute Hamas leaders or face Israeli action
\n doha
\nAn Arab-Islamic leaders summit in Doha on Monday is expected to rally support for Qatar in the wake of last week\u2019s Israeli attack targeting the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gulf state.
\nThe attack, which Hamas says killed five of its members but not its leadership, has prompted US-allied Gulf Arab states to close ranks, adding to strains in ties between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, which normalised relations in 2020.
\nThe emergency summit, bringing together members of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, began with a meeting of foreign ministers on Sunday to discuss a draft resolution.
\nThe gathering is a message that \u201cQatar is not alone … and that Arab and Islamic states stand by it,\u201d Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.
\nNetanyahu keeps up pressure
\nHitting back at global condemnation of the September 9 attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has kept up pressure on Qatar over the presence of Hamas leaders on its soil, warning Doha on Wednesday to either expel Hamas officials or \u201cbring them to justice, because if you don\u2019t, we will\u201d.
\nQatar, a key mediator in efforts aimed at ending the nearly two-year Gaza war, has accused Israel of sabotaging chances for peace and Netanyahu of practicing \u201cstate terrorism\u201d. A member of Qatar\u2019s internal security forces was among those killed.
\nUS President Donald Trump has signalled unhappiness over the Israeli attack, saying it did not advance Israeli or US goals, calling Qatar a close ally working hard to broker peace.
\nHe also said eliminating Hamas was \u201ca worthy goal\u201d. After the attack, he told Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani that \u201csuch a thing will not happen again on their soil\u201d.
\nNetanyahu said on Saturday that getting rid of Hamas leaders living in Qatar would remove the main obstacle to releasing hostages still held by the group in Gaza and ending the war that began with the militant group\u2019s October 7, 2023 attacks.
\nThe UAE, a US ally and the most prominent Arab state to normalise ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, on Friday summoned the deputy Israeli ambassador over the attack and subsequent remarks by Netanyahu which it described as hostile.
\nThe UAE has described Qatar\u2019s stability as an \u201cinseparable part of the security and stability of the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council\u201d, which includes Saudi Arabia.
\nIsrael\u2019s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 64,000 people according to local authorities. Israel launched its campaign after the October 7 attack in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages captured, according to Israeli figures.
\nHamas still holds 48 hostages, and Qatar has been one of the mediators, along with the US, trying to secure a ceasefire deal that would include the captives\u2019 release.
\nThe UAE, a US ally and the most prominent Arab state to normalise ties with Israel under the Abraham Accords, on Friday summoned the deputy Israeli ambassador over the attack and subsequent remarks by Netanyahu which it described as hostile.
\nThe UAE has described Qatar\u2019s stability as an \u201cinseparable part of the security and stability of the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council\u201d, which includes Saudi Arabia.
\nIsrael\u2019s campaign in Gaza has killed more than 64,000 people according to local authorities. Israel launched its campaign after the October 7 attack in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 hostages captured, according to Israeli figures.
\nHamas still holds 48 hostages, and Qatar has been one of the mediators, along with the US, trying to secure a ceasefire deal that would include the captives\u2019 release.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
After Israeli strike Netanyahu defies criticism, warns Qatar to expel or prosecute Hamas leaders or face Israeli action doha An Arab-Islamic leaders summit in Doha on Monday is expected to rally support for Qatar in the wake of last week\u2019s Israeli attack targeting the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gulf state. The attack, which Hamas […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":502906,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-502890","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n