By Staff Reporter
Dubai: Following the passing of Qatar’s Father Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, on Sunday, tributes have poured in from across the Arab world, but nowhere has his legacy resonated more deeply than in Palestine. He is remembered not only as a regional statesman, but as a leader who chose action over symbolism at a time when Gaza was politically isolated and under siege.
In October 2012, Sheikh Hamad became the first Arab and Muslim head of state to visit the Gaza Strip after Hamas took control of the territory in 2007 and Israel imposed its blockade. Accompanied by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and a senior delegation, he crossed into Gaza despite international pressure and regional reluctance, receiving a historic welcome from Palestinian officials and residents.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal later described the visit as a turning point, saying Sheikh Hamad had “officially announced the breaking of the siege in its darkest circumstances”. Ahmed al-Sheikh, former news director of Al Jazeera Arabic, said the emir’s relationship with Palestine was unlike that of any other Arab leader, arguing that he went to Gaza because “everyone around it was neglecting it”.
During the landmark visit, Sheikh Hamad increased Qatar’s reconstruction grant from $254 million to $400 million, funding housing projects, roads, healthcare facilities and public infrastructure that benefited thousands of Palestinians. Speaking at the Islamic University of Gaza, which awarded him and Sheikha Moza honorary doctorates, he praised Palestinian resilience and criticised what he saw as international double standards.
A Personal Commitment to Palestine
His support for Palestine began long before the Gaza blockade. In 1999, he became the first Gulf leader to visit the Palestinian territories since 1967, meeting Yasser Arafat during a critical political crisis. According to al-Sheikh, Sheikh Hamad viewed the Palestinian struggle through a deeply personal lens. When Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon besieged Arafat’s headquarters in Ramallah, the emir reportedly told aides that the attack felt as though Qatar itself had been targeted.
He also regretted never visiting Jerusalem before its occupation in 1967, a sentiment that led him to commission an extensive documentary on the city’s history and identity.
Challenging Regional Consensus
Sheikh Hamad’s stance often put him at odds with other Arab governments. During Israel’s 2008–2009 war on Gaza, he called for an emergency Arab summit in Doha, proposed a $250 million reconstruction fund and advocated a maritime corridor to bypass the blockade. Frustrated by the lack of support from fellow Arab leaders, he publicly declared, “God is sufficient for us and He is the best disposer of affairs.”
A Lasting Footprint in Gaza
Many of Gaza’s most significant infrastructure projects before the current war were financed through Qatari pledges made during Sheikh Hamad’s rule. They included the rehabilitation of major highways, the construction of Hamad City in Khan Younis and the establishment of the Sheikh Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics, which became a lifeline for amputees and children with hearing impairments.
Although much of that infrastructure has been destroyed during the ongoing war, the hospital continues to operate despite attacks, shortages and the collapse of much of Gaza’s healthcare system. It remains one of the few facilities capable of providing critical diagnostic and rehabilitation services.
For many Palestinians, that enduring presence is the clearest reminder of Sheikh Hamad’s legacy: a leader who did not merely speak about Gaza’s suffering, but crossed political boundaries to stand beside its people when few others would.
