New York : The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is set to convene an emergency session on Wednesday in New York, following an Israeli airstrike targeting senior Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar.
According to a post on X by Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, the session is scheduled to start at 3 PM (local time or 12:30 am IST on Thursday). It comes after Israel hit residential buildings in Doha housing members of Hamas's Political Bureau, which has triggered sharp international reactions.
The Israeli Ambassador also justified Tel Aviv's action, stating that there would be no immunity for terrorists and that Israel would continue to "act decisively against the leaders of terror." "The UN Security Council will convene today at 3:00 PM New York time (10:00 PM Israel time) for an emergency session following the strike on Hamas leadership in Doha. I intend to make it absolutely clear to the Council: there will be no immunity for terrorists - not in Gaza, not in Lebanon, and not in Qatar. We will not back down and we will continue to act decisively against the leaders of terror wherever they are hiding," Danon said in his post.
This comes after Israel carried out a series of airstrikes on Tuesday targeting Hamas leadership in Doha, marking an unprecedented military action inside the territory of a key US ally and mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations, CNN reported.
According to CNN, Israel immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, calling it part of an operation codenamed "Summit of Fire". According to Hamas, six individuals were killed in the strike, including five of its members. However, the group confirmed that its negotiating delegation survived.
Among those killed were the son of Hamas' chief negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya and the director of his office. A Qatari security official also reportedly died in the attack, CNN reported. As per CNN, the strikes hit West Bay Lagoon, a high-end residential district in Doha where, according to Qatar's foreign ministry, members of Hamas' political bureau had been residing. At the time of the strike, Hamas said its representatives were reviewing a US-backed ceasefire proposal. While Al-Hayya was believed to be the main target, he was not among the dead.
Following the strike, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the attack, calling it a "cowardly" and "criminal assault" that violated international laws and norms. The Ministry stated that the strike posed a serious threat to the safety of Qatari citizens and residents and emphasised that such actions were a blatant violation of Qatar's sovereignty and security.
"The State of Qatar strongly condemns the cowardly Israeli attack that targeted residential buildings housing several members of the Political Bureau of Hamas in the Qatari capital, Doha. This criminal assault constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms and poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar," spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Majed Al Ansari said in a post on X.
He added that investigations into the incident are underway at the highest level and that further details will be shared once available. Qatar also warned that it "will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behaviour and the ongoing disruption of regional security."
"The Ministry affirms that the security forces, civil defense, and relevant authorities immediately began addressing the incident and taking necessary measures to contain its repercussions and ensure the safety of the residents and surrounding areas. While the State of Qatar strongly condemns this assault, it confirms that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional security, nor any act that targets its security and sovereignty. Investigations are underway at the highest level, and further details will be announced as soon as they are available," he added.
French President Emmanuel Macron also condemned the Israeli strike, saying, "Today's Israeli strikes on Qatar are unacceptable, whatever the reason. I express my solidarity with Qatar and its Emir, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani. Under no circumstances should the war spread throughout the region," in a post on X.