Defence ministers from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have gathered in Doha to discuss regional security, days after Israel carried out a missile strike on the Qatari capital that killed at least six people, including Hamas officials and a Qatari security officer.
“Defence ministers from the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are meeting in Doha following Israel’s attack on the Qatari capital last week,” officials confirmed on Thursday.
The rare attack, launched from Israeli fighter jets firing air-launched ballistic missiles over the Red Sea, marked the first time Qatar has been directly hit since the Gaza war escalated last year. According to Hamas, senior leaders survived the strike, which coincided with ongoing ceasefire mediation efforts brokered by Qatar and Egypt.
Qatari authorities condemned the assault as a violation of sovereignty and an attempt to derail peace negotiations. “This strike is proof that Israel has no genuine interest in peace,” a Qatari official said.
The incident has triggered swift diplomatic fallout. The United Nations Security Council, with U.S. backing, condemned the attack in Doha but stopped short of explicitly naming Israel. Hamas, meanwhile, has vowed that the strike will not alter its demands, which include a permanent ceasefire, Israeli troop withdrawal, expanded humanitarian access, and a prisoner-for-hostage exchange.
In response, the GCC has signaled its intention to strengthen collective defence. At a regional security summit earlier this week, the bloc pledged to treat any attack on one member as an attack on all, while also considering the activation of its Unified Military Command to boost deterrence.
The Doha meeting is expected to focus on joint military coordination, intelligence sharing, and a potential unified response to the Israeli strike. Analysts say the outcome could mark a turning point in Gulf security strategy, especially as the conflict in Gaza increasingly spills over into neighbouring states.
