Qatar's Emir says to keep efforts to broker Gaza ceasefire despite Israel attack

Qatar's ruler told world leaders on Tuesday his country was continuing with its diplomatic efforts to broker an end to the war in Gaza despite Israel's strikes on targets in the Gulf country.

Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani condemned at the UN Israel's "treacherous" strike on his country targeting Hamas' leadership in the heart of a Doha residential community where they maintained a liaison office.

Qatar, along with Egypt and Washington, had led efforts to broker a comprehensive ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with several rounds of fruitless diplomacy executed in Doha.

"Unlike the claim of the prime minister of Israel, this attack is not part of a legitimate right to follow perpetrators of terrorism" and "undermines any diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the genocide against the people in Gaza," he told the General Assembly.

"We will engage in diplomacy when our enemies find it easier to use weapons," he added.

"We will continue our efforts in cooperation, in partnership with Egypt and the United States."

Qatar emerged as a broker in the wake of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip which broke out in October 2023, now labelled as genocidal by the UN and other leading rights groups.

Over 65,300 Palestinians have been killed since, as Israel carries out daily strikes on the territory and imposes a starvation crisis.

Sheikh Tamim also accused Israel of "abandoning the notion of releasing the hostages".

"Their goal is to destroy Gaza so that is unlivable," he said.

"Therefore, the Israeli leader wants to continue war."