Qatar hosts summit in response to strike

Qatar hosted a summit of leaders of Arab and Islamic nations Monday in the hopes of presenting a united response to Israel's attack on Hamas leaders in Doha last week.

- BY JON GAMBRELL

SMOKE rises from an explosion after an Israeli strike in Doha, Qatar, on Sept. 9.

But as leaders offered different views about what to do, the group has few ways to restrain Israel in its war in Gaza.

Israel launched its invasion of Gaza in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, and since then it has also retaliated against the militant group and other members of Iran's so-called axis of resistance elsewhere, including in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and now Qatar. That’s led to wider anger among Mideast nations already enraged by the more than 64,000 Palestinians killed during the war in Gaza—and a growing concern that the U.S. commitment to protect gulf Arab states may not be strong enough.

However, it remains unclear just what the summit will be able to achieve. Significant tensions among the nations meeting could blunt cooperation — and they also have few levers they can pull. Condemnations from countries that Israel considers enemies, like Iran, will mean little.