Japan has issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s recent strike on Hamas officials in Qatar, warning that the action threatens the Gulf nation’s sovereignty, undermines diplomatic peace efforts, and risks destabilizing the wider Middle East.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said on Wednesday that achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of hostages must remain urgent priorities. He expressed Japan’s solidarity with Qatar and called on Israel to “return to negotiations immediately and sincerely work towards” those goals. Hayashi also urged all parties to avoid actions including terrorism that could further erode regional stability.
The attack, which targeted Hamas figures in Doha, has sparked speculation within Japanese defense circles about the operation’s logistics. Some believe Israeli jets may have crossed Iraq and approached Qatar over the Arabian Gulf, with unconfirmed suggestions that the UK provided mid-air refueling support. One Japanese expert, speaking anonymously, said that if such assistance occurred, it would make Britain “complicit in this act of aggression” against a non-NATO ally.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has also condemned the strike, stating he had no prior knowledge of the operation. He described it as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty that risked “further escalation across the region.” Starmer, who is set to meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog in London, reiterated that the focus should be on an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, and a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza measures he said were essential for lasting peace.
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