UN rights chief condemns Israeli strike on Qatar as 'shocking breach of international law'

The UN human rights chief on Tuesday condemned Israel's strike on Hamas negotiators in Doha, calling it "a shocking breach of international law, an assault on regional peace and stability, and a blow against the integrity of mediation and negotiating processes around the world."

Speaking during an urgent debate at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Volker Turk said the Sept. 9 attack "violated the right to life under international human rights law, and the principles of international humanitarian law." He added that targeting parties engaged in mediation undermined Qatar's role as a peace broker.

"It is an attack on global efforts to resolve conflicts peacefully," he stressed.

Turk said the attack coincided with a new Israeli displacement order affecting one million people in Gaza City and the government's approval of the E1 settlement project near East Jerusalem, which he said was "bringing the two-state solution closer and closer to a point of no return."

He urged member states to stop the flow to Israel of arms that risk violating the laws of war, saying: "Member States cannot wait any longer."

Also addressing the debate, EU representative Deike Potzel said the bloc expresses its full solidarity with Qatar, describing the Gulf country as "our strategic partner, which, alongside Egypt and the United States, plays a crucial role as mediator of the conflict in Gaza."

She stressed that the international community's focus must remain "on reaching a ceasefire, the release of all hostages and unimpeded access of humanitarian assistance to Gaza," while reaffirming the bloc's support for Qatar's continued mediation role.

"We urge all parties to refrain from any actions that jeopardize mediation channels and regional stability and remain committed to the two-state solution," Potzel said.