Qatar closes file on 2025 Israeli attack following apology, warns sovereignty is ‘red line’

Qatar’s Al-Ansari warned that sovereignty is a red line and dismissed ongoing Israeli rhetoric as domestic electoral posturing, reaffirming Doha’s unwavering mediation role and support for Palestine.Qatar has officially closed the file on the September 2025 Israeli attack on Doha after receiving an explicit public apology and formal assurances that its sovereignty will not be breached again, a senior official confirmed on Wednesday.Speaking on the sidelines of the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Majed Al-Ansari reiterated that the state’s territorial integrity is strictly non-negotiable.“While Qatar seeks peace and works to facilitate dialogue and de-escalation, its sovereignty and territorial integrity are a red line,” Al-Ansari told Al Araby Al Jadeed.“We will not hesitate to defend them and take all necessary measures to protect them under international law and the UN Charter.”The unprecedented strike on September 9 last year targeted a meeting of Hamas officials in a residential neighbourhood of the capital as they gathered to discuss a U.S.-backed proposal for a Gaza ceasefire.The attack killed six people, including five Hamas members and an officer from Qatar’s Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), while injuring several security personnel and damaging nearby residential buildings.The diplomatic file was formally closed after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a direct apology on 29 September during a trilateral call with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, held in the presence of U.S. President Donald Trump.Al-Ansari also pushed back against renewed rhetoric from both the Israeli government and opposition figures seeking to designate Qatar as an “enemy state”, describing the discourse as an internal political crisis aimed at securing domestic electoral gains.“When targeting a mediating state becomes a subject of political debate, that in itself is problematic,” Al-Ansari said.“Even if this rhetoric is aimed at domestic consumption and electoral purposes, it reflects a clear flaw in political discourse, which should focus on addressing internal challenges rather than manufacturing foreign adversaries.”He emphasised that Doha’s track record in securing ceasefires, humanitarian pauses, and civilian releases remains internationally recognised, adding that external pressure will not derail its diplomatic agenda.“Such campaigns will not deter Qatar from its firm stances on behalf of the brotherly Palestinian people, nor will they affect our efforts to de-escalate and promote regional and international stability,” Al-Ansari concluded.