Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the recent Israeli attacks in Doha on Wednesday — calling it a violation of Qatari sovereignty. The rare criticism came after he spoke to the Emir of Qatar on the phone and voiced “deep concern” about the incident. Israel had sparked global outrage after striking Doha and killing at least six people on Tuesday — the latest in a series of attacks that also includes Syria, Iran and Lebanon.
“Spoke with Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and expressed deep concern at the attacks in Doha. India condemns the violation of the sovereignty of the brotherly State of Qatar. We support resolution of issues through dialogue and diplomacy, and avoiding escalation. India stands firmly in support of peace and stability in the region, and against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” he wrote on X.
Israel had attempted to kill Hamas leaders visiting Doha for ceasefire negotiations on Tuesday — marking a dramatic escalation in the region. The attack has left at least six people dead and risks upending talks to end the Gaza war and free hostages still held by the militant group. Strikes within the territory of a US ally have also drawn widespread condemnation from countries in the Middle East, Europe and beyond.
Global outrage
The US has since described the escalation as an unilateral attack that does not advance American and Israeli interests. Tel Aviv insists that the attacks were justified as they targeted high-ranking Hamas leaders responsible for attacks against the country.
The White House said it was alerted by Israel before the attack — but sought to distance itself from the incident. President Donald Trump called it an “unfortunate incident” while Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the POTUS spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “made his thoughts and concerns very clear.” Trump also said that he considered hitting Hamas a worthy goal, but felt bad that the attack took place in the Gulf Arab state.
Meanwhile a furious Qatar asserted that Israel was treacherous and engaged in “state terrorism.” The energy-rich Gulf nation is an US security partner and hosts thousands of American troops within the al-Udeid Air Base — the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East. It has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas throughout the 23-month-long war. It condemned what it referred to as a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms” as smoke rose over its capital city. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said the airstrikes threatened to derail the peace talks Qatar has been mediating between Hamas and Israel.
(With inputs from agencies)