Qatar’s Father Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani Dies At 74, Palestine Lowers Flags

Qatar’s Amiri Diwan announced that Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani died at the age of 74, and the Al Jazeera report said Qatar announced a four-day period of public mourning starting Sunday with flags to be lowered to half-mast.

In Ramallah, the Palestinian Presidency declared Sunday a three-day mourning period in the State of Palestine starting Monday after the passing of the late Father Amir of the State of Qatar HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and it also decided to lower flags hoisted at official headquarters and institutions to half-staff.

Al Jazeera

The same Al Jazeera package placed the death announcement alongside a description of the ongoing war in Gaza, saying that at least six Palestinian civilians, including a child, were killed and several others were injured on Sunday as Israeli forces continued airstrikes, artillery shelling, and demolition operations across the Gaza Strip.

The İlke Haber Ajansı report also framed the wider regional context by stating that Iran launched a sweeping military response after the United States carried out a major wave of airstrikes against Iranian territory, with Tehran announcing the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and warning that further American aggression will be met with decisive action.

Hamas expressed condolences to Qatar’s Emir on the death of his father Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, saying in a statement that it described him as "a great national and Arab leader" and the architect of Qatar's modern renaissance.

In the same Hamas statement, the movement said Sheikh Hamad’s legacy would remain firmly linked to Gaza and Palestine, recalling his repeated declarations that lasting peace in the region could only be achieved through ending the Israeli occupation and enabling Palestinians to realize their legitimate national rights by establishing an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Al Jazeera

The İlke Haber Ajansı report also described Palestinian journalists’ work under the ongoing war, quoting Palestinian Journalists Syndicate Chairman Nasser Abu Bakr as saying that Palestinian journalists continue to face significant challenges amid the ongoing war, including the targeting of journalists and media institutions.

In Hebron, Bashir Al-Natsheh, Hebron Police Public Relations Director, highlighted coordination between the police, media outlets, and civil society institutions to protect citizens and strengthen their resilience, according to the same Yaffa News Network account.

The WAFA Agency report said that following the directives of President Mahmoud Abbas, flags would be lowered to half-mast at official headquarters and institutions across the State of Palestine for three days in mourning over the death of Emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, beginning Monday, July 13, 2026.

In parallel, the İlke Haber Ajansı report stated that at least six Palestinian civilians, including a child, were killed and several others were injured on Sunday as Israeli forces continued airstrikes, artillery shelling, and demolition operations across the Gaza Strip.

The Yaffa News Network account said the Hebron meeting stressed strengthening cooperation between the media, security agencies, and human rights institutions to promote social stability, protect public freedoms, and address the Israeli narrative regarding developments in the Palestinian territories.

It also said the meeting was organized by the Independent Commission for Human Rights in partnership with the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the police, and that Jihad Al-Qawasmi, Secretary-General of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, said journalists in Hebron work under difficult conditions including arrests, live fire incidents, and the confiscation of their equipment and vehicles.