Senior officials from Arab and Islamic countries convened in Doha today to discuss Israel’s recent strike on the Qatari capital. Observers believe the meeting may lead to a “decisive” response against Israel.
The attack, which killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer, has sparked anger and alarm across the region.
Coinciding with the summit, U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack met Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. In a post on X, Barrack said: “On behalf of Donald Trump and Marco Rubio, I expressed my support for Qatar and its prime minister.”
On Sunday, Al Thani condemned the Israeli strike once again, stressing that Qatar enjoys strong regional backing in its efforts to safeguard national sovereignty.
“We are grateful for the solidarity of our Arab and Islamic brothers, as well as friendly countries in the international community, who condemned this brutal Israeli attack,” he said. Al Thani added that Qatar plans to take “legitimate legal measures” to defend its sovereignty.
Many regional leaders have traveled to Doha for the summit. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told Al Jazeera that the meeting is crucial for charting a clear roadmap in response to the crisis, saying the eyes of the Muslim world are on Doha to see what decisions will be made.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, speaking two days after the Israeli attack, warned that a “decisive response” is necessary and that no country should assume it will remain “untouched” by the Gaza war.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also called on Islamic states to sever ties with Israel.
Taliban representatives are not attending the meeting.
Some analysts suggest that today’s summit could mark the first time Islamic nations agree on concrete measures against Israel.
