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Late on Tuesday evening, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke on the phone with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamil bin Hamid Al Thani. He once again praised Qatar's mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Hamas hostages. He said that the Israeli attack was an unacceptable violation of Qatar's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The war must not be allowed to spread to the entire region.

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Germany's Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also commented on Israel's attack in Doha on Tuesday evening: “Israel's attack in Doha not only violates Qatar's territorial sovereignty, but also jeopardizes all our efforts to secure the release of the hostages. This strike is unacceptable.”

Phone call with Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar

The Foreign Minister emphasized: “I am extremely concerned about the lives and safety of the hostages in the hands of Hamas, including German citizens. I expressed this to my Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa'ar in a telephone call.”

Germany expressly thanks Qatar for its role

Wadephul said in his statement: “Qatar is playing a crucial role in efforts to establish a ceasefire and release the hostages. I have expressed my solidarity, gratitude and appreciation for these efforts to my Qatari colleague Sheikh Mohammed. ”

He emphasized: “I urgently call for everything to be done now to finally bring about a ceasefire and allow the hostages to return to their families.” He added: “It is clear that it is up to Hamas to lay down its arms and renounce terror against the State of Israel. The current escalation is also a result of Hamas's heinous terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.”

Qatar: Strongest condemnation

The State of Qatar condemns “the cowardly Israeli attack in the strongest terms.” The attack targeted residential buildings “where several members of the Hamas political bureau were staying in the Qatari capital of Doha.”

The official statement from Doha on Tuesday evening said: “This criminal attack constitutes a blatant violation of all international laws and norms, and poses a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents in Qatar".

The Foreign Ministry emphasizes that the security forces, civil defense, and relevant authorities immediately began dealing with the incident and took the necessary measures to mitigate its consequences and ensure the safety of residents and surrounding areas.

“Destabilization is not tolerated”

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At the same time, the State of Qatar makes it clear “that it will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing destabilization of regional security – nor will it tolerate any actions that target its security and sovereignty.” The investigation is being conducted at the highest level, it said. Further details would be announced as soon as they were available.

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German Embassy: Situation can change quickly

The German embassy in Doha recommended that Germans living in Qatar stay at home or go somewhere safe, follow the news in the local and international media and be prepared that the situation could change quickly and unpredictably.

UN Secretary General: “Clear violation of sovereignty”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the Israeli attacks as a “clear violation of Qatar's sovereignty and territorial integrity.” He told reporters that Qatar was playing a very positive role in trying to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and secure the release of all hostages held by Hamas.

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“Everyone must work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying it.”

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Former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, now President of the UN General Assembly, urged Israel to exercise maximum restraint. She said Israel's actions represented an escalation and were “obviously disturbing.”

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