DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Qatar convened a summit of Arab and Islamic leaders on Monday to discuss a unified response to Israel's recent attack on Hamas leaders in Doha. However, the meeting resulted in minimal action as the nations involved expressed differing opinions on how to address the ongoing conflict.

Israel's military operations in Gaza, which began after Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, have escalated tensions across the region. The Israeli government has retaliated against Hamas and other members of Iran's so-called Axis of Resistance in various locations, including Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and now Qatar. This has intensified anger among Middle Eastern nations, particularly in light of the reported deaths of over 64,000 Palestinians during the conflict. Concerns are also growing regarding the adequacy of U.S. support for Gulf Arab states amid these developments.

Despite the urgency of the situation, the summit's effectiveness was hampered by significant divisions among the participating countries. While nations like Iran condemned Israel's actions, those with diplomatic ties to Israel were hesitant to sever relations.

Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, opened the summit with a passionate speech, accusing Israel of neglecting the welfare of hostages in Gaza and focusing instead on making the region uninhabitable. He questioned Israel's commitment to negotiations, stating, "If Israel wishes to assassinate the Hamas leaders, why then engage in negotiations?" He further criticized Israel's actions as cowardly and treacherous, asserting that such behavior undermines any potential for successful negotiations.

Leaders from various nations attended the summit, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian also participated, despite recent tensions between Iran and Qatar. Pezeshkian highlighted the widespread attacks by Israel on Islamic countries since the conflict began, stating, "This regime has attacked many Islamic countries. It does whatever it wants, and unfortunately, the United States and European countries also support these actions."

The summit's final statement called for member states to take all possible legal measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people. However, analysts noted that the summit's outcomes were limited, with few concrete steps proposed to hold Israel accountable.

Qatar has long acted as a mediator in conflicts, including hosting Hamas' political leadership at the request of the U.S. However, as the war continues, Qatar faces criticism from hard-liners in Israel's government. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to target those responsible for the Hamas-led attack and has indicated that Qatar could be a target if Hamas leaders are present there.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was in Israel on Monday, discussing the situation with Israeli officials and expressing concern over the attack on Qatar. He emphasized the U.S. commitment to working with regional partners to stop Hamas and achieve a ceasefire.

The ongoing conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with the Hamas-led attack on October 7 killing approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and leading to the abduction of 251 individuals. In response, Israeli offensives in Gaza have reportedly killed over 64,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which is affiliated with Hamas. The ministry's figures are considered by the U.N. and independent experts to be the most reliable estimates of war casualties, although Israel disputes these numbers without providing alternative data.