By Liv Clarke
Copyright manchestereveningnews
Qatar Airways has said that its flights have not been impacted following Israel’s attack in Doha, the capital of Qatar, on Tuesday . Israeli forces targeted Hamas officials in Doha in a strike yesterday. At least six people were killed in the attack according to government statements. Hamas’ political leaders had gathered in Doha to consider a US proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Hamas said its top leaders survived the strike, but that five lower-level members were killed, including the son of Khalil al-Hayya – Hamas’ leader for Gaza and its top negotiator – as well as three bodyguards and the head of Mr al-Hayya’s office. Never miss a story with the MEN’s daily Catch Up newsletter – get it in your inbox by signing up here The group, which has sometimes only confirmed the assassination of its leaders months later, offered no immediate proof that Mr al-Hayya and other senior figures had survived. Qatar Airways, which operates out of Hamad International Airport, informed passengers that “there have been no disruptions as a result”. In an update issued on its website, the airline said: “The recent unfortunate events in Doha have not impacted Qatar Airways operations and there have been no disruptions as a result. The safety and security of our passengers have been and will always be our top priority.” The state-run Qatar News Agency noted that the country’s ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, held a series of calls with world leaders, including US president Donald Trump. Sheikh Tamim condemned the attack, saying that Qatar holds Israel “responsible for its repercussions, in light of the policy of aggression they adopt that threatens the region’s stability and obstructs efforts to de-escalate and reach sustainable diplomatic solutions”. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE The strike on the territory of a US ally drew widespread condemnation from several countries in the Middle East and beyond. Qatar is also home to the US military’s forward headquarters for its Mideast-based Central Command. The headquarters, located at the sprawling Al-Udeid Air Base, also has American-run radars and defence systems and recently hosted President Trump on his tour of the region in May. Following the attack the UK Foreign Office issued an update for Qatar which stated: “On September 9, explosions occurred in the Lusail area in Doha. The FCDO is in contact with the local authorities. Follow the advice of the local authorities.” For more of today’s top stories, click here.
