Kenya has called for restraint and dialogue after an Israeli airstrike in Doha, Qatar, left several people dead and others missing.
In a statement on Thursday, September 11, Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs said it was deeply concerned by the attack on a building in Qatar on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.
“The attack is not only a clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the State of Qatar, but also poses a serious threat to regional and international peace and security,” the ministry said.
Kenya added that the strike went against international law and the principles of peace and cooperation among states, as outlined in the UN’s 1970 Declaration on International Law.
“Kenya urges all parties to exercise restraint, uphold the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states, prioritize dialogue and diplomacy over violence, and commit to peaceful coexistence,” the statement read.
Qatari authorities have confirmed that five people were killed in the attack, including four Hamas members and a Qatari security officer. The country’s Interior Ministry said it is still searching for two missing people and working to identify human remains recovered from the scene.
The strike, which Israeli officials dubbed “Operation Summit of Fire,” targeted senior Hamas leaders believed to be meeting in northern Doha to discuss a US-backed ceasefire and hostage deal. However, Hamas claimed the assassination attempt failed, saying its top negotiators survived.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani described the strike as “state terror” and warned it had “killed any hope” for the release of hostages still held in Gaza. He said his government was reassessing its ties with Hamas and was in talks with the US on the way forward.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the attack, saying it targeted “terrorist masterminds” behind the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and saw more than 250 taken hostage. Netanyahu warned that countries hosting Hamas leaders would also be considered targets.
The strike has triggered widespread condemnation across the Middle East. The UAE’s President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman both condemned Israel’s actions as “criminal” and “brutal,” with plans underway for a regional summit in Doha.
The United States, a key ally of both Israel and Qatar, also expressed unease. Former President Donald Trump, in a statement on Truth Social, said he was “very unhappy” with the strike, calling it a setback to peace efforts.
So far, the fate of Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya remains unclear, with Qatari officials declining to confirm whether he survived the attack.
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