The United Nations Human Rights Council has announced an urgent debate for Tuesday, September 16, 2025, to address Israel’s recent airstrike targeting Hamas leaders within Qatar.
This critical discussion was triggered by two formal requests submitted on Monday, September 15, 2025: one from Pakistan, representing the Organization of Islamic Cooperation member states, and another from Kuwait, on behalf of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf.
The UN council confirmed that this 10th urgent debate since its inception in 2006 will delve into “the recent military aggression carried out by the State of Israel against the State of Qatar on September 9, 2025.”
Last week, Israeli strikes on the Qatari capital resulted in the deaths of five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer.
The incident quickly sparked widespread international condemnation, notably from Gulf monarchies who are typically allies of the United States, Israel’s staunchest supporter.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Raises Concerns Over Qatar Strike with Netanyahu
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, September 15, 2025. This meeting occurred amidst growing unease from Israel’s crucial ally, the United States, regarding the Qatar airstrikes which threaten to unravel already struggling efforts for a Gaza ceasefire.
Rubio’s visit, initially planned as a show of solidarity, was scheduled just a week before a French-led summit at the United Nations aimed at recognizing a Palestinian state – a proposal vehemently opposed by Netanyahu’s right-wing government.
However, discussions proved more challenging, as President Donald Trump’s administration was reportedly surprised last week by Israel’s attack in Qatar. The strike targeted Hamas leaders who were reportedly meeting to discuss a new U.S. ceasefire proposal for Gaza.
President Trump, a long-standing supporter of Mr. Netanyahu, reiterated his backing for Qatar on Sunday, September 14, 2025. Qatar, which hosts the largest U.S. air base in the region, has diligently fostered its relationship with the U.S. President, even reportedly gifting a luxury jet.
“Qatar has been a very great ally. Israel and everyone else, we have to be careful. When we attack people we have to be careful,” President Trump remarked to reporters.
Before his press conference with Mr. Netanyahu, Mr. Rubio stated upon leaving Washington that the U.S. was “obviously not happy” about the strike but emphasized the need to “move forward and figure out what comes next.”
Mr. Rubio also confirmed his intention to discuss with Netanyahu Israeli military plans for seizing Gaza City, the largest urban center in the devastated territory, alongside the government’s discussions about annexing parts of the occupied West Bank to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state.
According to Mr. Rubio, President Trump’s objective is for the Gaza war to be “finished with,” which entails the release of hostages and ensuring that Hamas “is no longer a threat.”
The conflict began with Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which claimed the lives of 1,219 people, predominantly civilians, based on an AFP tally of official figures.
Israel’s subsequent retaliatory actions in Gaza have resulted in at least 64,871 deaths, also mostly civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, which the United Nations deems reliable.