Qatar condemns killing of Israeli embassy staff in Washington

Qatar, a key mediator in the Israel-Hamas war, condemned on Thursday the killing of two Israeli embassy staff in Washington – which was carried out by a gunman who shouted “free Palestine” when arrested.

“The state of Qatar condemns and denounces the shooting incident in front of the Jewish museum in Washington that led to the killing of two Israeli embassy employees,” the Qatari foreign ministry said in a statement, offering the country’s “condolences” to the families of the victims.

Two Israeli embassy staffers, one of them an American, were shot dead outside a Jewish museum in Washington by a gunman who shouted “free Palestine” as he was arrested.

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led global condemnation of the attack, both of them blaming antisemitism.

Israel identified the victims as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, a US employee of the embassy, and said they were a couple who may have been planning to marry.

Lischinsky was a research assistant at the Israeli embassy, while Milgrim worked for its public diplomacy department, according to their LinkedIn profiles.

Washington’s police chief identified the shooter as a 30-year-old from Chicago, Elias Rodriguez, and said he was in custody. Video of his arrest by police showed the bearded man in a jacket and white shirt shouting “free, free Palestine” as he was led away.