ISLAMABAD: The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today, Thursday, on Pakistan’s request to discuss Israeli airstrikes in Doha that killed at least six people, including a Qatari security officer, after Pakistan, Algeria and Somalia called for action.
Pakistan condemned Israel’s attack targeting a residential building in Doha that housed Hamas members discussing a Gaza ceasefire proposal floated by the American administration.
Qatar has been a key mediator in ceasefire and hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas, hosting the group’s political bureau while engaging closely with Washington and Cairo. Israel’s strike has raised fears the Gulf state could scale back or reconsider its mediation role, further complicating efforts to halt the Gaza war.
“The UN Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Thursday in response to Israel’s strikes targeting Hamas officials in Qatar, a Arabian Gulf Islamic country,” the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan said.
It added the event was scheduled to be held at 3 p.m. New York time, which will be midnight in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said in a statement on Wednesday the strikes were a “dangerous escalation in an already volatile region” and urged the Security Council to treat the assault as “a grave threat to international peace and security.”
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had “killed any hope” of releasing hostages still held in the Gaza Strip after Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha.
Netanyahu acknowledged the attack, saying it was a “wholly independent Israeli operation” for which his government took “full responsibility.”
