Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had spoken with Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and conveyed India’s deep concern over the recent attacks in Doha, stressing New Delhi’s support for peace, stability and dialogue in the region.
“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," PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter).
PM Modi’s remarks come in the wake of Israeli air strikes on the Qatari capital, which targeted Hamas’s top political leadership. The strikes, unprecedented in their reach, followed a Hamas-claimed shooting in Jerusalem that killed six people.
Hamas said five of its members were killed in the attack, including the son of senior negotiator Khalil al-Hayya. Qatar confirmed that one of its security personnel was also killed and denounced Israel for “state terrorism" and “treachery."
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, defended the operation, telling Fox News, “If we didn’t get them this time, we’ll get them the next time."
The Doha strikes triggered an unusual diplomatic flurry in the Gulf, with leaders from the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Saudi Arabia making unscheduled visits to Qatar in solidarity. The European Commission also signalled it would propose sanctioning extremist Israeli ministers, reflecting growing European criticism of Israel’s conduct.
