Wong Condemns Israel’s Strikes on Hamas in Qatar

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has condemned Israel’s targeted strikes on Hamas officials in Qatar’s capital, Doha.

Just after noon on Sept. 9 (AEST), Israel launched strikes on a building suspected of housing high-ranking members of the designated terror organisation.

The strikes came one day after Hamas’s armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for a shooting in Jerusalem that killed six civilians and injured scores more.

Wong spoke to ABC News Breakfast where she said the Australian government had taken the stance that it was “the wrong thing to do.”

“Qatar, as you know, has been one of the parties seeking to mediate a ceasefire, it has been working with the United States to deliver a ceasefire and the return of hostages,” she said.

“This is a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, it imperils work on the ceasefire and it risks escalation.

“The world needs a ceasefire, the people of Gaza need a ceasefire, and the hostages need a ceasefire and a deal to return.”

Asked whether she believed the action would hinder ceasefire efforts, Wong said it was critical they continue.

Wong highlighted Australia’s efforts for the cause.

“We have sanctioned Israeli ministers and Israeli entities, we have flagged the recognition of Palestine in an attempt to work with others to build a pathway to peace, and you’ve seen the reaction of Prime Minister Netanyahu and others in the Israeli government to that. So I think it’s very important to see what we have done,” she said.

“What we aren’t able to do—obviously we all wish we could—is we can’t end the war.

“What we can do is support the calls for a ceasefire and the work of the United States and Qatar and others to try and broker a ceasefire and we can set out the pathway to recognition and recognise a state of Palestine with others—which is all about the international community trying to build that pathway to peace.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to formally acknowledge recognition of a Palestinian state during the 80th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in September.

In a statement on X, the Israeli government said it believed its actions in Qatar were warranted.

“Yesterday, after the murderous attacks in Jerusalem and Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu directed all security elements to prepare for the possibility of striking the Hamas leadership,” the statement read.

“The defence minister fully supported this initiative.”

It said that since the Oct. 7 attacks, Hamas leadership “has not ceased from launching murderous operations against the State of Israel and its citizens.”

Hamas claims five members were killed in the Doha strikes.