Israeli strike won't stop mediation efforts for Gaza peace: Qatari PM

Doha, Sep 15 (IANS) Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said that Israel's recent attack on Doha will not prevent Qatar, Egypt and the United States from continuing their mediation efforts to end the war in Gaza, the Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

The Qatari prime minister made the remarks on Sunday, during a preparatory meeting with foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic countries, held ahead of an emergency Arab-Islamic summit scheduled for Monday to address the Israeli attack, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the QNA.

The foreign ministers discussed a draft statement on the Tuesday attack by Israel on a residential building in Doha that housed several Hamas leaders.

In his talks, Al-Thani stressed that the region cannot achieve comprehensive peace and security unless the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights.

Israel launched an unprecedented airstrike in the Qatari capital on Tuesday, targeting a building where Hamas officials were meeting to discuss the latest ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States.

The attack took place shortly after Hamas' armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for a shooting that killed six people at a bus stop on the outskirts of Jerusalem on Monday.

Five members of Hamas and a Qatari security officer were killed during the strike, while key members of the Hamas negotiating team survived.

Doha strongly condemned the strike, with al-Thani calling it “state terror” in an interview with CNN.

“I have no words to express how enraged we are from such an action…This is state terror. We are betrayed,” he said.

--IANS

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