Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thanii (R) and Hamas former leader Ismail Haniyeh. (AP/Ali Ali, Pool)
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former emir who transformed Qatar from a small Gulf state into a global diplomatic, financial and media powerhouse, died at 74, Qatari state media announced. No cause of death was given.
During his 18-year reign, Sheikh Hamad oversaw Qatar’s rise as a major exporter of natural gas, founded the influential Al Jazeera network, expanded Qatar Airways, secured the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and positioned Doha as a key mediator in regional conflicts. In 2013, he broke with regional tradition by voluntarily handing power to his son, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Qatar’s growing influence, however, was accompanied by controversy. Doha cultivated close ties with Iran, hosted leaders of Hamas and the Taliban, and backed the Muslim Brotherhood, straining relations with several Arab states and Western allies.
Israel banned Al Jazeera in 2024, accusing the network of harming national security and maintaining close ties with Hamas following the October 7 massacre.
Sheikh Hamad’s foreign policy laid the foundation for Qatar’s outsized role in Middle East diplomacy—a legacy that continues to shape the region today.
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