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WAFA reported on July 12, 2026, that the Palestinian Presidency declared a three-day mourning period in the State of Palestine beginning the following day after the passing of HH the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani. The news agency stated that flags would be lowered to half-staff at official headquarters and institutions across the territory in line with directives from President Mahmoud Abbas. The measures apply uniformly to all government bodies as part of the coordinated response to the Qatari leader’s death.
A separate WAFA dispatch from Ramallah detailed how President Mahmoud Abbas extended condolences to Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the same day. Abbas commended the late Father Emir as the founder of modern Qatar and a prominent national and Arab leader. The Palestinian president highlighted that Sheikh Hamad had devoted his life to advancing his country and people while strengthening Qatar’s regional and international standing.
The WAFA report on the condolences added that Sheikh Hamad supported Arab causes and backed the Palestinian cause throughout his tenure. President Mahmoud Abbas extended his deepest condolences to Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Qatari royal family, the people of Qatar and the Arab nation. Abbas prayed that the late Father Emir be granted eternal mercy and peace.
Qatar’s Amiri Diwan had announced the death of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani at the age of 74, according to regional coverage carried by The Peninsula. The Qatari authorities instituted their own four-day public mourning period with flags at half-mast, a step that preceded similar declarations across the region. Kuwait ordered four days of official mourning, its Amiri Diwan stated in a release on the matter.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain also moved to declare official mourning and lower flags, multiple Gulf outlets reported in the hours after the announcement from Doha. These parallel actions reflected the late emir’s wide influence built during his rule from 1995 to 2013. Sheikh Hamad’s initiatives in media, sports and diplomacy elevated Qatar’s global profile while sustaining long-term partnerships with Palestinian institutions.
Palestinian mourning will continue through July 15, 2026, under the three-day framework that took effect on Monday. The Presidency instructed all relevant departments to implement the flag protocol without exception. WAFA confirmed that the steps formed a direct response to the loss of a leader whose policies had consistently aligned with Palestinian priorities.
