Concerted action urgently needed as Israel continues to run amok

Marking a perilous escalation in its war against Hamas, Israel launched air strikes on the group's office in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday in an attempt to assassinate its political leaders. This reckless move, which was against international law, extended Israel's military campaign to another Middle East nation, threatening to plunge the region into deeper, wider turmoil.

Considering that Qatar has long served as a bridge between Arab countries and Israel, as well as a venue for rounds of negotiations between Israel and Hamas, the latest attack shows how wanton Israel's behavior has become. It also reveals that Tel Aviv has no intention of reaching a ceasefire with Hamas.

The air strike, described by the Israeli authorities as an attempt to eliminate the Hamas leaders it holds responsible for the Oct 7 attacks on Israel, occurred while they were holding discussions on a new ceasefire proposal.

Qatar has vowed to adopt a "comprehensive" approach in response to the Israeli air strike on its capital, Doha, asserting it has the right to defend its sovereignty and pursue legal actions against what it rightly perceives to be a violation of its territorial sovereignty. Israel's military has become increasingly blatant in expanding its operations in the name of attacking Hamas. Since the crisis began less than two years ago, Israel's war machine has roared into many parts of the Middle East: Beyond the near-total devastation of Gaza, Israeli forces have also struck Hezbollah in Lebanon, eliminating its top leaders, bombed Houthi positions in Yemen, killing several high-ranking officials, and, in partnership with the US, conducted multiple strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Now, with the attack on Doha, Israel has consolidated its role as the major destabilizing force in the region.

Israel's violent violations of international law have been enabled by the United States' complicity in its actions. And the US' stance on the attack will further complicate the situation.

US President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post, distanced himself from the decision, attributing it to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and expressing support for Qatar as a "strong ally and friend" of the US.

But conflicting narratives have emerged regarding the communication between the US and Qatar. While the US administration claimed to have notified Qatari officials before the strike, Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted this, stating that the call from a US official came only as the air strike took place. The air strike has drawn widespread concern and strong condemnation from the international community.

Thanks to the warmongering Israeli government under Netanyahu, who has just made public his plan to take over Gaza, the international community's sympathy following Hamas' Oct 7 attacks has worn thin, as evidenced by the growing international recognition of the State of Palestine. The moral high ground that Israel once claimed in the latest round of conflict with Hamas, has been demolished along with stability in the Middle East.

Tel Aviv should know the tide is turning, and wider and firmer international recognition of the legitimacy of Palestinian claims and support for a two-state solution have become unstoppable. Israel's recent Gaza takeover plan has prompted more countries to support Palestinian statehood.

But the international community must do more. The urgency to address the ever-worsening humanitarian disasters in Gaza and the importance of international cooperation in achieving a peaceful resolution have been brought into sharp focus by Israel's latest action and its plan to take over Gaza.

The crisis has been dragging on for more than 700 days and has cost more than 64,000 lives in Gaza. And the plight of the remaining Palestinians in Gaza challenges international justice and the conscience of humanity to an ever greater degree with each passing day.

China has called on Israel to immediately stop its military operation in Gaza, realize a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire as soon as possible, and prevent a humanitarian crisis on a larger scale.

But the US in particular must act, since it is the only one that can rein in Israel's unbridled military actions and get it to adhere to relevant UN resolutions on the Palestine question. Returning to the framework of a two-state solution is imperative. Continuing to destabilize the Middle East will not only further isolate Israel on the international stage but also worsen the security environment of the entire region, including for Israel.

The path forward demands a renewed commitment to diplomacy and peace, with all parties recognizing the need for constructive engagement and mutual respect.