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The Palestinian Presidency announced a three-day mourning period across the State of Palestine beginning July 14, with instructions to lower flags at all official headquarters and institutions to half-staff. The move came in direct response to the passing of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, whose death was confirmed by Qatar’s Amiri Diwan on July 12. According to the Presidency’s statement, the measures reflect deep appreciation for the former Qatari leader’s longstanding role in regional affairs.
Similar declarations have been issued by several neighbouring states in a coordinated show of respect. India, Lebanon, Jordan and Kuwait have each proclaimed mourning periods, lowered national flags and adjusted public events, according to regional reports compiled by Al Jazeera. These parallel actions illustrate the broad respect commanded by Sheikh Hamad across the Arab world.
Sheikh Hamad, who served as Qatar’s Emir from 1995 until his abdication in 2013, maintained a consistent focus on the Palestinian issue throughout his rule. He made a landmark visit to the Gaza Strip in October 2012, becoming the first head of state to enter the territory since Hamas took control, and pledged hundreds of millions of dollars toward reconstruction and humanitarian projects there. A Qatar University analysis of his record found that he referenced the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 73 of the 210 official speeches delivered during his 18-year reign.[[1]](https://www.mecsj.com/uplode/images/photo/ASSESSING_QATAR%E2%80%99S_STANCE_TOWARDS_THE_ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN_.pdf)[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamad_bin_Khalifa_Al_Thani)
Hamas issued its own condolence statement that praised the late Father Emir as a visionary who placed support for just causes, above all the Palestinian one, at the centre of Qatari policy. The movement recalled his convening of an emergency Arab summit on Gaza in Doha in 2009 and his delivery of sustained reconstruction and relief assistance to the enclave. Hamas officials described these efforts as having established the foundation for Qatar’s ongoing mediation and aid work in the territory.
The Amiri Diwan’s announcement of the death at age 74 triggered an immediate wave of tributes from Palestinian and Arab leaders. Sheikh Hamad’s foreign policy had emphasised independence and solidarity with Arab positions, including repeated calls for an end to the blockade of Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state. Palestinian representatives noted that his initiatives had strengthened bilateral ties that continue under the current Qatari leadership.
Official instructions require all government bodies in Palestine to observe the mourning period without public festivities or major events. The Presidency directed uniform application of the flag protocol at every state institution through the end of the designated days. This formal response aligns with precedents set during previous periods of regional mourning for prominent Arab figures.
