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Middle East conflict

Gulf nations agree to activate joint defense mechanism

The decision was made after the Israeli strike on the residence of the Hamas leadership in Doha

DOHA, September 15. /TASS/. The Gulf states have agreed to activate the mechanism of joint defense after the Israeli strike on the residence of the Hamas leadership in Doha, the leaders of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf said in a statement.

"The leaders instructed the Joint Defense Council to hold an emergency meeting in Doha, which will be preceded by a meeting of the Supreme Military Committee. The purpose of the meeting is to assess the level of defense readiness of the member states and identify the sources of threat in the light of Israel's aggression against Qatar, as well as to instruct the Joint Military Command to take the necessary measures to activate collective defense mechanisms and strengthen deterrence capabilities in the Persian Gulf," the statement said.

An extraordinary summit of the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was held on Monday on the Israeli strike on Doha. In a final statement, the meeting participants said that they would support all steps Qatar is taking to respond to the Israeli attack.

On September 9, Israel attacked the leadership of the Palestinian Hamas movement in Doha. The Palestinian Movement said six people were killed, including the son of one of the organization's leaders in the Gaza Strip, Khalil al-Hayya, and an employee of the Qatari security forces. Reports of the deaths of senior Hamas members have not yet been confirmed.

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