Qatar takes legal steps at ICC over Israeli strike on Doha

Minister says Doha will pursue accountability for 'war crimes and acts of aggression'

Last updated: September 18, 2025 | 17:05

Stephen N R, Senior Associate Editor

2 MIN READ

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al Khulaifi announced that a legal team has been formed to examine violations of international law and defend Qatar’s sovereignty.

Source: X

Dubai: Qatar has formally begun legal proceedings at the International Criminal Court (ICC) after Israel’s September 9 strike on its capital killed six people, including an officer of the Internal Security Forces.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al Khulaifi announced that a legal team has been formed to examine violations of international law and defend Qatar’s sovereignty.

He said the move underscores Doha’s commitment to accountability under international criminal law.

Al Khulaifi met ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane and Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan, in The Hague telling them that Qatar will pursue justice to prevent perpetrators of war crimes and acts of aggression from escaping punishment.

Also Read: UAE summons Israeli Deputy Head of Mission, condemns blatant attack, hostile statements against Qatar

Last year, the ICC launched a prosecution of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes and crimes against humanity during Israel’s war in Gaza, including by intentionally targeting civilians and using starvation as a method of war.

The ICC also sought the arrest of Israel’s former defense minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, who has since been confirmed killed by Israel.

Also Read: Stealth jets flew 2,000km for Qatar strike: How Israel pulled off the attack

The Gaza war was triggered by Hamas’s October 2023 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

The Israeli strike targeted a villa where Hamas political bureau leaders were meeting to discuss a US-backed ceasefire proposal.

Also Read: Qatar calls for bringing Netanyahu to justice, labels Israeli attack ‘state terror’

Netanyahu later defended the attack, calling it justified because of Qatar’s ties to Hamas. “Qatar is connected to Hamas, it bolsters Hamas, it harbours Hamas, it funds Hamas,” Netanyahu said.

The strike was the first on US ally Qatar, which has no diplomatic relations with Israel but has hosted Hamas leaders for years. Doha has played a central role in ceasefire and hostage negotiations in the Gaza war.

Also Read: Israeli attack on Qatar: Who were the Hamas targets in Doha?

Between 2018 and 2023, Qatar sent monthly aid and cash handouts to Gaza with the approval of Netanyahu’s cabinet. Earlier this year, Israeli media reported that two of his aides were under investigation for allegedly receiving payments from Qatar.

Stephen N RSenior Associate Editor

A Senior Associate Editor with more than 30 years in the media, Stephen N.R. curates, edits and publishes impactful stories for Gulf News — both in print and online — focusing on Middle East politics, student issues and explainers on global topics. Stephen has spent most of his career in journalism, working behind the scenes — shaping headlines, editing copy and putting together newspaper pages with precision. For the past many years, he has brought that same dedication to the Gulf News digital team, where he curates stories, crafts explainers and helps keep both the web and print editions sharp and engaging.