Qatar emir meets Erdogan in Turkey amid regional tensions

Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visited Turkey on Thursday where he met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan amid regional tensions, local media reports said

Sheikh Tamim was welcomed by Erdogan in an official ceremony at the Presidential Complex before the two leaders held a high-level meeting to discuss the recent assassination of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and regional developments.

Turkey media reports said the discussions also addressed Israel's onslaught on Gaza and daily cross-border attacks on Lebanon.

The leaders were also addressed bilateral ties between Doha and Ankara, according to Qatari media reports.

It comes just a day after Turkey announced it was joining South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

South Africa's December 2023 case alleges that Israel's war on Gaza was in breached the 1948 UN Genocide Convention over human rights violations.

Israel's offensive on Gaza has killed over 39,700 people - most of whom are women and children - and injured at least 91,700 people.

Earlier this week, Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran, while on a diplomatic trip to take part in the swearing-in ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian. Tehran has blamed Israel for the killing, while Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.