17 September 2025

GENEVA?¨C UN experts* today condemned Israel¡¯s military strike in Qatar on 9 September 2025 which killed five members of the negotiation team of Hamas and a member of the Qatari security forces.

¡°This attack violates the human right to life, the UN Charter prohibition on excessive use of force, and Qatar¡¯s sovereignty,¡± the experts said.

¡°It also undermines efforts in Qatar to mediate a peaceful end to the conflict, ensure access of humanitarian relief into Gaza, and secure the release of hostages and all other individuals who have been arbitrarily detained.¡±

The strike was widely condemned by the international community as a huge setback to efforts to resolve the conflict and end the assault on Gaza and its population.

¡°Killing members of the other party¡¯s negotiating team also violates the most basic ground rules of peace-making, which requires good faith dialogue between adversaries, not deceptive assassination attempts,¡± the experts said.

¡°We recognise Qatar¡¯s steadfast commitment and constructive diplomacy.¡±

The experts expressed concern that the strike followed an alarming pattern of Israeli attacks in multiple countries that are not justified under the international law on self-defence, international humanitarian law, and international human rights law.

¡°We urge all States with information about such incidents to investigate them and bring the perpetrators to justice,¡± they said.

¡°We are also deeply concerned by two apparent drone attacks on 8 and 9 September on two vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla in port in Tunis. Incendiary devices dropped by air ignited fires, which were extinguished,¡± they said.

¡°We recall the responsibility of the international community to ensure that international crimes are investigated and, where appropriate, prosecuted wherever there are reasonable grounds to believe such crimes have been committed.¡±

¡°Preserving the integrity of negotiation and mediation channels is crucial for fostering trust that parties need to engage in meaningful dialogue,¡± the experts said.

The experts underlined that at this critical moment, the international community must push for a ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate delivery of aid and the release of arbitrarily detained persons.

¡°The people in Gaza have endured immense suffering and irreparable harm with hundreds of thousands killed and injured – the entire territory devastated,¡± they said.

 

To learn more about Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council and the Question of Palestine, click here to visit the dedicated webpage.

* The experts:

  • George Katrougalos,?
  • Ben Saul,?
  • Francesca Albanese,?
  • Morris Tidball-Binz,?
  • Mr. Bernard Duhaime,?
  • Surya Deva,?