israel travel to qatar

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Israelis, Palestinians can fly on same flights to World Cup in Qatar

Soccer fans from Israel and the Palestinian territories will be able to fly directly to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar from Tel Aviv for the first time, soccer’s global governing body announced Thursday. The development is a breakthrough agreement for Israel and Qatar — two countries without diplomatic relations.

The charter flights to Doha from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv for the tournament starting Nov. 20 will be open to all Palestinians, FIFA said. That includes residents and accredited media workers from the occupied West Bank and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, which has been under a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade for 15 years.

Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza do not have their own airport and must apply for a hard-to-obtain airport permit to use Ben Gurion. Such permits are only approved, if at all, shortly before takeoff.

Israel may still refuse to grant exit permits to residents of blockaded Gaza seeking to fly out of Tel Aviv to attend the World Cup. Such permission is only granted in exceptional circumstances.

Israeli officials had no immediate details on how many flights would take place or how many Palestinians would be allowed to travel. When asked for comment on the arrangement, Ahmad Deek, the director-general of the Palestinian Foreign Ministry, said it was the first he’d heard of it.

Israeli citizens cannot ordinarily fly directly to Doha or enter Qatar on their Israeli passports. Relations have soured since Doha closed an Israeli trade office in 2008 over the Gaza war. Even without diplomatic relations, Qatar helps mediate between Israel and Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers during rounds of conflict.

Washington lauded the development and said it will “benefit Israeli and Palestinian soccer fans alike as a step towards expanding greater freedom of travel for all.”

“The United States congratulates FIFA, Israel, and Qatar on the historic step of opening direct flights between Tel Aviv and Doha for the duration of the World Cup,” said U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price. “Today’s announcement is a historic development and an important step that also holds great promise to bolster people to people ties and economic relations.”

However, the breakthrough travel arrangement could still fall apart.

The Qatari government said that Doha told Israel that “any escalation in Jerusalem, Gaza or the West Bank during this time will risk the cancellation of the agreement — including the direct flights.”

Violence in the West Bank has surged in recent months as Israel has escalated nightly arrest raids, making 2022 the deadliest in the occupied territory since 2006.

FIFA also announced on Thursday that a temporary consular service would assist Israelis in Doha during the tournament. Some 3,800 Israelis and 8,000 Palestinians have applied for the Hayya card, which acts as an entry visa to Qatar for the soccer tournament.

“Consular services for Israeli citizens will be provided in coordination with the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a designated privately operated international travel company based in Doha,” FIFA said.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid welcomed the agreement as the result “hard work over the course of many months.”

A Qatari government statement said the travel arrangement for Israeli citizens was “part of Qatar’s commitment to FIFA’s hosting requirements and it should not be politicized.”

Israel has previously made inroads into the region in part due to international events. Dubai’s Expo 2020 world’s fair saw Israel participate. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain normalized relations with Israel two years ago.

To head off criticism, Qatar stressed that “its stance on normalization has not changed” and that the country continues to support the creation of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel as the solution to the decades-old conflict. There have been no serious peace talks in more than a decade.

“As of late, we have not seen any positive developments in the peace process that would merit a change in our policy,” the Qatari government added.

Qatar consented to welcoming all fans into the country when it started campaigning to host the World Cup, and when it signed contracts with FIFA after winning the vote in December 2010. A similar obligation was made to respect FIFA commercial partners by easing Qatar’s strict limits on the consumption and purchase of alcohol so it could be served at official World Cup sites.

The tournament — the first World Cup to be hosted in the Middle East and an Arab nation — runs from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18.

However, Israeli and Palestinian fans won’t be rooting for their national teams. The Israeli national team, which has not played in Asian qualifying for the World Cup since the 1970s for security reasons, did not advance to the tournament in Qatar from its European group. The Palestinian team was eliminated in a preliminary qualifying group won by Saudi Arabia.

Only fans with match tickets are allowed to enter Qatar until Dec. 2 to ease the demand on a limited supply of accommodation in the tiny emirate when all 32 teams are still playing. Ticketless fans can arrive later, in time for the first knockout round of 16 teams.

Accessibility Links

Is it safe to travel to Qatar right now? Latest travel advice

Qatar has been key to negotiations between israel, hamas and the west. here’s what you need to know about visiting this arab nation, including foreign office advice.

Q atar became the first Middle Eastern country to host the Fifa World Cup in 2022, putting it on the tourist map for those who might be looking for an alternative to the UAE. Like its regional neighbour, there is awe-inspiring architecture to gawk at and traditional souks selling herbs and spices, but the Arabic nation is also a centre for traditional and modern art. Among the highlights are the Museum of Islamic Art and Mathaf (the Arab Museum of Modern Art), both of which are in the capital, Doha.

Since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began, Qatar has also become an important regional mediator, despite the fact that it doesn’t border the countries involved. Here’s what you need to know.

Main photo: Mina District at Old Doha Port, Qatar (Alamy)

This article contains affiliate links, which may earn us revenue

What’s the latest government advice about travelling to Qatar?

The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) does not currently have any travel advisories about Qatar . However, the FCDO says that terrorism in the country can’t be ruled out, and busy areas such as hotels, shopping centres and beaches could be targets.

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You should also be aware of local laws and customs, as well as actions that might cause offence. For example, public displays of intimacy could lead to arrest, while both men and women should dress modestly. During Ramadan, eating and drinking in public, as well as swearing, playing music or dancing would be considered offensive.

Has Qatar been affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict?

Qatar does not border Israel, so it’s not directly affected by the conflict with Hamas. However, Qatar does have close ties with Hamas and has been an important regional mediator — it was key in the negotiations that secured the release of two American hostages held by Hamas.

Is it safe to travel to Qatar right now?

The high-profile death of British travel industry executive Marc Bennett in 2022 raised questions over whether it’s safe to travel to the country. However, there’s no reason not to travel to Qatar right now. The Arab nation is considered a safe place to visit and crime levels are also generally low.

What are Qatar’s entry requirements?

Those using a full British passport to travel to Qatar for tourism can get a free 30-day visa waiver on arrival. You can extend this through the Qatar Ministry of Interior. However, you will need a confirmed return or onward ticket, and your passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the day you arrive.

If you’re travelling on a non-standard British passport, such as one from a British Overseas Territory, you will need a visa. You will also need a visa if you’re visiting the country for another reason.

Is Qatar safe for female travellers?

Qatar is generally considered safe for female travellers. However, you should still take care when walking or travelling alone, especially at night. You should also use reputable taxi firms.

The FCDO says that personal attacks, including sexual assault and rape, are relatively rare but they do happen. However, local laws mean that the burden of proof rests heavily on the victim. If they cannot prove that the sex was non-consensual, it may lead to their prosecution.

Those who have been sexually assaulted are advised to call the British Embassy on +974 4496 2000 for advice. It has also provided written guidance for victims of rape or sexual assault in Qatar.

Is Qatar safe for LGBT travellers?

Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar. Same-sex relationships can lead to imprisonment or the death penalty.

• Best hotels in Qatar • Best things to do in Qatar

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Inspired to visit Qatar but yet to book your trip? Here are the best packages from BA Holidays and Expedia .

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• International
• Foreign affairs

Direct flights between Tel Aviv and Doha for the World Cup: Foreign Secretary's statement

The Foreign Secretary has welcomed an agreement between Qatar and Israel to allow direct flights between Tel Aviv and Doha for the football FIFA World Cup 2022.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

The UK congratulates Israel and Qatar for reaching an important deal to open direct flights between Tel Aviv and Doha for the World Cup. We welcome the commitment that this will benefit football fans in both Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and foster stronger people-to-people links across the Middle East.

Media enquiries

Email [email protected]

Telephone 020 7008 3100

Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

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Middle East crisis — explained

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades. These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them.

Freeing hostages, hosting Hamas: Qatar's influence in Israel-Gaza war, explained

Aya Batrawy

People walk along a street as a plume of smoke rises in the background during an Israeli strike on the Bureij refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, as battles between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continue. Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

People walk along a street as a plume of smoke rises in the background during an Israeli strike on the Bureij refugee camp in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, as battles between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continue.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Qatar is a tiny nation that juts out of the Arabian Peninsula; it's about twice the size of Delaware, with just 300,000 citizens.

Despite its small size, Qatar's influence spreads far. It's home to the Al Jazeera news network and a sprawling U.S. airbase with U.S. troops. Last year, it hosted the World Cup soccer games.

Middle East

Qatar's role in hostage negotiations.

And now it's playing a key role more than 1,000 miles to the west. It is a close U.S. ally and the regional power best positioned to both influence Hamas and play a mediating role with Israel.

The war began Oct. 7, when nearly 2,000 Hamas militants stormed into Israel, killing around 1,400 people — mostly Israeli civilians, including women and children. The militants also took an estimated 240 hostages, according to Israeli officials. A quarter of a million Israelis have evacuated their homes due to the threat of further attacks, and Gaza rocket fire on Israel continues daily, though nearly all missiles are intercepted.

What is Hamas? Here's what to know

Israel's bombardment and attacks on the Gaza Strip have since killed more than 9,000 people, 70% of whom are women and children , according to Palestinian health officials in Gaza. Nearly 200,000 homes have been destroyed and the Gaza Strip's 2.3 million people are largely displaced, suffering from shortages of clean water, medicine, fuel, food and electricity.

Qatar is not directly involved in the conflict, but is no bystander either.

Here is what to know about its role in Gaza and beyond.

Yocheved Lifshitz, a freed hostage, speaks to media in front of Ichilov Hospital in Israel on Oct. 24, after she was released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip. Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images hide caption

Yocheved Lifshitz, a freed hostage, speaks to media in front of Ichilov Hospital in Israel on Oct. 24, after she was released by Hamas from the Gaza Strip.

Qatar's role behind the scenes

The diplomacy that went into opening the rafah border for palestinians.

In recent weeks, Doha has helped broker the release of four Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants. It helped to negotiate — in coordination with the U.S., Egypt, Israel and Hamas — for foreigners trapped in Gaza to leave through the territory's crossing with Egypt. Several dozen Palestinians, of more than 22,000 wounded in the war, have also been let out to receive treatment in Egypt this week, according to the Palestinian health officials.

Qatar has been able to play this role because it has hosted Hamas leaders in exile, though it's unclear whether it can keep doing so amid growing pressure from the U.S., Israel and Europe, which designate Hamas as a terrorist organization.

A Qatari official, who asked that their name not be used to discuss a sensitive issue, told NPR the Hamas political office in Doha was opened over a decade ago in coordination with the U.S., after a request from Washington to establish indirect lines of communication. Qatar says it's been used across multiple U.S. administrations for mediation efforts. The official reached out to NPR after this story was originally published.

National Security

U.s. and qatar agree to prevent disbursal of recently unfrozen iranian funds.

The Biden administration and senior Israeli officials have lauded Qatar's role in trying to free more than 200 hostages, among them children and elderly, held by militants in Gaza.

Qatar has long hosted or directly talked to groups the U.S. and Europe do not want to deal with directly in difficult negotiations. That has helped Qatar exert influence, play a key role on the global stage and maintain relations with a wide range of players from Washington to Tehran.

Qatar's money trail in the Gaza Strip

For years, Qatar has helped pay the partial salaries of tens of thousands of Palestinian teachers, doctors and other public servants in the Gaza Strip, which has been under an Israeli blockade, supported by Egypt, since Hamas wrested control of the territory in 2007.

Israeli news reports and analysts say Qatar has sent more than $1 billion to Gaza over the past decade.

Qatar sent that aid through fuel to the Gaza Strip's Hamas government, which in turn sold it and paid partial salaries. In the past, the money was sent via suitcases stuffed with cash .

Israel allowed these transfers to Hamas. Supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say the payments his government approved helped keep the status quo in the Gaza Strip and Hamas from escalating attacks on Israel .

His detractors say the policy was aimed at weakening the rival Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and perpetuating the rift between the two Palestinian factions in order to avoid engaging in a real peace process and two-state solution.

Qatar has also sent construction materials into Gaza after infrastructure was destroyed in previous Israeli wars. It also helped pay for United Nations food rations to Gaza's poorest families.

Al Jazeera and Qatar's soft power

The Qatar-based news network, primarily funded by the government, is one of the most widely seen Arabic channels in the world. It's also one of the very few broadcasting live from across the Gaza Strip throughout the current war. It's broadcasting on Arabic and English channels.

The network has long angered Israel and some Middle East governments for its alternative viewpoints on major Mideast crises, like the Arab Spring revolts. Critics say the channel promoted Islamist movements. But for hundreds of millions of homes with Arabic satellite receivers that can watch Al Jazeera, it is an indispensable source of news and information.

Israel's Cabinet recently approved measures that could lead to a shutdown of Al Jazeera's operations in the country. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly asked Qatar's emir to tone down Al Jazeera's coverage of the carnage in Gaza.

The news network and Qatar have been intertwined since the Arabic channel's launch in 1996. Qatar's then-ruler financially backed it when it launched, and it has mostly been funded by the Qatari government, which derives much of its wealth from gas exports. Its chairman is a member of Qatar's ruling family.

Al Jazeera says it operates independently.

The network's journalists have been targeted or killed while covering the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Last year, Shireen Abu Akleh , a longtime Palestinian American reporter and household name in the Middle East, was killed while wearing a clearly marked "press" vest in the West Bank. Israel and the U.S. say an Israeli soldier was most likely responsible for killing her.

Al Jazeera journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh attends the funeral of his wife, son and daughter, after their home was hit in the Nuseirat camp in the center of Gaza, where they had sought refuge after being displaced by the initial bombardment in their neighborhood, Oct. 26. Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images hide caption

Al Jazeera journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh attends the funeral of his wife, son and daughter, after their home was hit in the Nuseirat camp in the center of Gaza, where they had sought refuge after being displaced by the initial bombardment in their neighborhood, Oct. 26.

At least 24 journalists have been killed in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza

In recent weeks, dozens of family members of Al Jazeera's staff in Gaza have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, including the wife, son, daughter and grandchild of Gaza correspondent Wael Dahdouh .

Qatar keeps ties with the U.S. — and its rivals

Qatar hosts thousands of U.S. troops at the Al Udeid Airbase , which also serves as the regional headquarters for U.S. Central Command. Doha is paying for an expansion of that airbase, which the U.S. and others have used to launch airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.

Qatar was instrumental in evacuating people from Afghanistan two years ago, during a chaotic and hurried U.S. evacuation from the country after it was taken over by the Taliban. Qatar has hosted U.S.-Taliban peace talks and other meetings, and continues to be home to members of the Taliban — and to Afghanistan-focused diplomats who withdrew from Kabul in 2021.

Doha has helped free Western hostages held by extremist groups in Syria, and recently negotiated a high-profile prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran.

The country maintains close ties with Iran, with which it shares an underwater gas field in the Persian Gulf. Iran rushed to its aid when several Arab states cut ties with Qatar for several years over its policies in the region.

President Biden designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally , elevating the security partnership even more. Late last year, his administration described Qatar as one of the United States' "closest military partners in the region" and said Qatar's efforts in Gaza had helped to stabilize the territory.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani waits for U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Lusail, Qatar, on Oct. 13. Jacquelyn Martin/POOL/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani waits for U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Lusail, Qatar, on Oct. 13.

Meanwhile, Qatar is also home to senior Hamas leaders in exile, such as Khalid Mashaal and Ismail Haniyeh. It's unclear precisely how much Hamas leaders abroad knew about the Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel. They've come under scrutiny for their upscale lifestyles abroad as Gazans suffer at home.

Qatar was one of the first Gulf Arab states to establish ties with Israel

Qatar, like several other Arab states, has not publicly condemned the Hamas attacks on Israel. And like other Arab states and Iran, it has blamed Israeli policies for the escalation in violence, pointing to the occupation in the West Bank, deadly raids into Palestinian cities there and allowing more Israeli hardliners into the sensitive Al Aqsa Mosque compound, known to Jews as the Temple Mount.

Still, Qatar was one of the first Gulf Arab states to establish official trade ties with Israel in the 1990s. But Israel's office in Doha was permanently shuttered after Israel's war in Gaza in 2009, and now there are no official ties between Israel and Qatar.

Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said "enough is enough" last week in a speech to his country's consultative Shura Council, describing Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip as "barbaric."

Despite this sharp rhetoric, Israel's Mossad intelligence chief was recently in Qatar to discuss the release of hostages held in Gaza.

NPR's Daniel Estrin contributed to this story from Tel Aviv.

Update April 12, 2024

Information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

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Qatar Travel Advisory

Travel advisory july 13, 2023, qatar - level 1: exercise normal precautions.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Exercise normal precautions in Qatar.

Due to risks to civil aviation operating within the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman region, including Qatar, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an advisory Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and/or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). For more information U.S. citizens should consult the  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices .

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Qatar.

If you decide to travel to Qatar:

• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Follow the U.S. Embassy in Qatar on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Qatar.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

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Exercise normal safety precautions in Qatar.

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Local emergency contacts

Fire and rescue services, medical emergencies.

Call 999, or go directly to the hospital.

Call 999, or visit the nearest police station.

Advice levels

• An increased threat of military and terrorist attacks against Israel and Israeli interests across the region and ongoing military action in the Occupied Palestinian Territories could lead to increased tensions in other locations in the Middle East. Demonstration and protest activity may occur, and localised security situations could deteriorate with little notice. Avoid all demonstrations and protests. 
• This may also result in airspace closures, flight cancellations and flight diversions and other travel disruptions. 
• Conflict in other areas of the Middle East and Gulf region could affect Qatar. Demonstrations and protests can occur and may turn violent. Avoid protests and large public gatherings as they can turn violent. Monitor local and international media and follow the advice of local authorities. 
• Several terrorist attacks have happened in the wider Gulf region in recent years. Terrorists may target tourist areas and attractions. More attacks could occur. If there's a security incident, follow the advice of local authorities.
• Qatar has a low crime rate. Pickpocketing, bag snatching and other petty crimes are rare but can happen. Keep an eye on your belongings, especially in crowded places.
• Bank and credit card fraud can occur. Always keep your credit card in sight when shopping.
• Be prepared for extreme weather. From June to September, temperatures can reach over 50˚C. Flash flooding can sometimes happen. Follow the advice of local officials.

Full travel advice:  Safety

• Cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus have been reported in Qatar. Avoid contact with camels and products contaminated with camel secretions.
• Qatar can experience periods of high air pollution. Sand and dust storms can also worsen breathing issues. Talk to your doctor before you travel if you have concerns.
• Get comprehensive  travel insurance  before you leave. If you're staying longer than 30 days in Qatar, you must purchase health insurance from companies approved by the Qatari Ministry of Public Health at a standard cost of 50 Qatari Riyals per month. 

Full travel advice:  Health

• Qatari laws and customs are very different to those in Australia. If you're detained or arrested, ask police or prison officials to inform the Australian Embassy in Doha.
• Don't use or carry illegal drugs. Penalties for drug offences include long jail terms. Authorities can detain and deport you if you carry medication to treat HIV and hepatitis. This can also happen if you test positive for either illness.
• Sex outside of marriage is illegal. If you're the victim of a sexual assault, authorities may arrest, detain or prosecute you for adultery. If you're sexually assaulted in Qatar, ask us for consular help and advice on available support services immediately. Hamad General Hospital provides a  Sexual Assault Service.
• Qatar has conservative codes of dress and behaviour. Visitors are expected to cover their shoulders and knees when visiting public places, including museums and other government buildings. If you're at tourist attractions, shopping malls and other public places, check the specific dress codes at the venue or online.
• Avoid commenting on Qatari culture, government policy or services, and commercial enterprises online while in Qatar. This includes reviewing hotel or restaurant experiences on social media. These activities could be considered cybercrime offences in Qatar.

Full travel advice:  Local laws

• If you're staying longer than 30 days in Qatar, you must purchase health insurance either prior to or when you arrive in Qatar. You must purchase this from companies approved by the Qatari Ministry of Public Health . This mandatory insurance only covers medical treatment in Qatar, not other common issues relating to travel, for example, lost luggage (see 'Full advice/Travel' section).

You may be asked to show proof of your accommodation for the duration of your stay in Qatar on arrival at Hamad International Airport.

• Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Qatar for the latest details.
• Driving in Qatar can be difficult and dangerous. Make sure you understand local laws and practices. It's illegal to use obscene language or hand gestures in traffic. It's also illegal to drive after drinking any amount of alcohol.   
• Many areas of the Gulf are sensitive to security issues and territorial disputes. There's also a risk of  piracy . If you're planning sea travel, refer to the International Maritime Bureau's  piracy reports .

Full travel advice:  Travel

Local contacts

• The  Consular Services Charter  details what we can and can't do to help you overseas.
• For consular assistance, contact the  Australian Embassy in Doha . The working week is Sunday to Thursday.
• To stay up to date with local information, follow the Embassy's social media accounts.

Full travel advice:  Local contacts

Full advice

Terrorism is a threat worldwide.

There have been several terrorist attacks in the Gulf region in recent years. These have occurred at places visited by foreigners. Take official warnings seriously.

Attacks could occur at any time and could target:

• places of worship
• hotels, restaurants, and bars
• sporting venues
• military sites
• transport hubs
• crowded public places
• other locations foreigners may visit

If there's an attack, leave the affected area straight away if it's safe to.

More information:

• Terrorist threats

Civil unrest and domestic political tension

Public protests and events that attract large groups of people can occur with little notice.

Conflict in the Middle East and Gulf region could affect Qatar. 

To stay safe:

• avoid protests, demonstrations and other large public gatherings as they could turn violent
• be aware of local concerns about regional affairs
• check the news and other sources for details on planned and possible unrest or strikes
• plan your activities to avoid potential unrest
• change your travel plans if needed
• follow the advice of local authorities

If civil unrest disrupts your travel, contact your airline, travel agent or insurer for help.

• Demonstrations and civil unrest

Qatar has a low crime rate.

Pickpocketing, bag snatching and other petty crime is rare but can happen. Keep an eye on your belongings, especially in crowded places. 

Banking and credit card fraud can occur. Always keep your credit card in sight.

Unaccompanied women can be vulnerable to harassment. Women should take care when travelling alone, particularly at night. You should pay attention to your immediate surroundings and exercise judgement.

Kidnapping can happen anywhere, anytime, including in destinations that are typically at lower risk. 

The Australian Government's longstanding policy is that it doesn't make payments or concessions to kidnappers.

Cyber security

You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you’re connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth.

Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions, or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media.

Cyber security when travelling overseas

Tours and adventure activities

Transport and tour operators don't always follow safety and maintenance standards. This includes 4WD adventure activities in the desert.

If you plan to do a tour or  adventure activity :

• check if it's covered by your travel insurance policy
• check that vehicles are well-equipped for the desert
• check that there's enough water, fuel, food provisions and a mobile phone
• ask about, and insist on, minimum safety requirements
• always use available safety gear, such as life jackets or seatbelts

If proper safety equipment isn't available, use another provider.

• leave a copy of your travel itinerary with friends or relatives
• adjust your plans if the weather makes conditions unsafe
• seek advice from local authorities

Climate and natural disasters

Qatar often experiences extremely high temperatures. From June to September, the temperature can be higher than 50°C.

To avoid heat stroke and dehydration:

• drink plenty of water
• avoid long periods in the heat

Sandstorms and dust storms occur often.

If there's a  natural disaster  or  severe weather :

• keep your passport in a safe, waterproof place
• closely monitor local media and other sources such as the  Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
• keep in contact with friends and family
• Travel insurance

Get comprehensive  travel insurance  before you leave. 

Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.

If you're staying longer than 30 days in Qatar, you must purchase health insurance from companies approved by the Qatari Ministry of Public Health. This will cost 50 Qatari Riyals per month. Health insurance policies purchased outside Qatar may not meet Qatari entry requirements. For more information see: Mandatory Health Insurance Scheme .

The mandatory medical insurance required by all visitors to Qatar only covers medical treatment in Qatar, not other common issues relating to travel, for example, lost luggage.

If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.

If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.

• what activities and care your policy covers
• that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away

Physical and mental health

Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition. 

See your doctor or travel clinic to:

• have a basic health check-up
• ask if your travel plans may affect your health
• plan any vaccinations you need

Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.

If you have immediate concerns for your welfare or the welfare of another Australian, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your  nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate  to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location.

• General health advice
• Healthy holiday tips  (Healthdirect Australia)

Medications

Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.

If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Qatar. Take enough legal medicine for your trip. For more information check the Ministry of Public Health Guideline of controlled drugs for travellers [PDF 614KB] .

For any medication you're carrying, or that may be detected in your system, c arry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:

• what the medication is
• your required dosage
• that it's for personal use

Get medical documents  authenticated  by DFAT in Australia if needed.

• Embassy of Qatar in Australia

Health risks

Middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

Cases of  Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus  have been reported in Qatar.

There may be a small risk of contracting MERS via ongoing physical contact with camels. To minimise this risk, avoid consuming raw camel milk, undercooked camel meat, or anything contaminated with camel secretions.

Get medical advice if you have a fever, cough, breathing difficulties or diarrhoea.

• MERS information card  (Department of Health and Aged Care)

Air pollution

The level of air pollution in Qatar is high by global standards. Dust storms and sandstorms happen often, which can worsen breathing issues.

If you're concerned about the effects of pollution, or dust and sandstorms, speak to your doctor before leaving Australia.

Medical care

Medical facilities.

Public medical facilities in Qatar are comparable to those in Australia.

You may need to be evacuated if you become seriously ill or injured. Medical evacuation can be very expensive.

There are major differences between laws in Australia and Qatar. Behaviour that could be considered offensive or anti-social, but not criminal, in Australia could violate Qatari law.

You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling. 

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our  Consular Services Charter . But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

If you're detained or arrested, ask police or prison officials to inform the Australian Embassy in Doha.

To meet Qatari requirements, your Australian documents may need extra legal approval before you can use them overseas. Check the rules with the nearest  embassy or consulate of Qatar .

Penalties for drug offences include long jail terms. Authorities could charge you with possession if they can detect illegal drugs in your body.

Medications that are available over the counter or by prescription in Australia may be illegal in Qatar.

Authorities can detain and deport you if you carry medication to treat HIV and hepatitis. This can also happen if you test positive to either illness.

Check the status of your medicines with an  embassy or consulate of Qatar . See  Health

• Carrying or using drugs

Commercial, civil, family and employment law

There are significant differences between Australia's and Qatar's laws on commercial, civil, family and employment matters.

If you become involved in local family law matters such as divorce, child custody and child support:

• get professional legal advice
• understand your rights and responsibilities under Qatari law

Commercial law

If you're involved in a commercial civil dispute, local firms or courts may take your passport.

Authorities can stop you leaving Qatar until the dispute is resolved.

If you owe money, you may be jailed until you settle your debts.

Authorities can arrest and jail you for fraud if you:

• present a cheque that bounces
• fail to pay bills or fines
• have an overdue personal loan or local credit card or similar

Authorities may detain you when you arrive if you have debts or criminal charges in Qatar. This can happen even if you're only transiting through Qatar.

If you're not a resident of Qatar, you may not get bail for crimes involving fraud.

Child custody laws are based on Islamic law.

Employment matters

If you have a job in Qatar, you may require an exit permit from your employer to leave the country.

• Living or working overseas
• Legalising documents

Eating and drinking laws

It's illegal to:

• eat, drink or smoke in public between sunrise and sunset during  Ramadan
• drink alcohol, if you're Muslim
• drink alcohol or be drunk in public
• drink alcohol outside licensed premises

Expats living in Qatar can buy alcohol on a permit system.

Alcohol is currently only available to visitors at licenced hotel restaurants and bars. The legal drinking age in Qatar is 21. It is an offence to drink alcohol or be drunk in a public place.

The importation of alcohol into the State of Qatar is illegal. You will not be able to purchase alcohol from duty free in airports.

Sex and intimacy laws

• have sex outside marriage
• be sexually intimate or overly affectionate in public
• engage in same-sex relationships
• stalk or harass women verbally, physically or online
• Advice for LGBTI travellers

Other illegal activities

• bring pornography, pork products, alcohol, firearms or religious books or materials other than those relating to Islam into Qatar
• photograph government buildings or military sites
• photograph local people, particularly women, without permission

Victims of sexual assault

Depending on the situation, victims of sexual assault in Qatar, may face arrest, detention or criminal prosecution for having sex outside of marriage.

If you're sexually assaulted in Qatar, contact the Australian Embassy in Doha or the Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra immediately. Ask for guidance and information on support services.

Consular officers can't provide legal or medical advice. They can provide lists of English-speaking service providers who may be able to help you.

• Sexual assault
• Sexual Assault Service (Hamad General Hospital)

Australian laws

Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.

• Staying within the law and respecting customs

Dual citizenship

Qatar doesn't recognise dual nationality.

If you're a dual national and authorities arrest or detain you, o ur ability to deliver consular services may be limited. 

Always travel on your  Australian passport .

The children of Qatari fathers automatically receive Qatari citizenship at birth. Qatari fathers can stop their children from leaving Qatar.

• Dual nationals

Local customs

There are conservative codes of dress and behaviour in Qatar. Visitors must cover their shoulders and knees when visiting public places like museums and other government buildings. If you plan to visit tourist attractions, shopping malls and other public places, check the specific dress codes. Look for details on display at the venues or on their websites. Take care not to offend. If in doubt, seek local advice.

Avoid commenting on Qatari culture, government policy or services, and commercial enterprises online while in Qatar. This includes reviewing hotel or restaurant experiences on social media. These activities could be considered slanderous or cyber-crime offences in Qatar.

Offensive behaviour

Swearing and making rude gestures are considered obscene acts and you can be fined, jailed and/or deported. Take particular care when dealing with the police and other officials.

The Islamic holy month of Ramadan is observed in Qatar. Respect religious and cultural customs and laws during this time.

During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking may be illegal in public during the day. If you're not fasting, avoid these activities around people who are. Seek local advice to avoid offence.

Explore our Ramadan page to learn more, including dates for Ramadan.

Visas and border measures

Every country or territory decides who can enter or leave through its borders. For specific information about the evidence you'll need to enter a foreign destination, check with the nearest embassy, consulate or immigration department of the destination you're entering. 

Australian passport holders are entitled to apply for a visa on arrival. The type of visa you need will depend on your country of residence and the purpose of your travel.

Entry and exit rules can change at short notice. For details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine regulations, contact:

• Visas & Immigration (Hamad International Airport)
• the  Embassy of the State of Qatar
• the official State of Qatar  Government website (in English)

Qatari authorities won't issue visas in an Australian emergency passport. You can only use an emergency passport to leave or travel through Qatar.

Border measures

Transiting through Qatar is permitted if you meet the requirements of your final destination country. There are no additional requirements for transiting passengers, even if you choose to use the transit hotel within the airport. Further information about transiting through Qatar can be found on the webpage for  Hamad International Airport  and Visit Qatar .

For more information, call 109 from inside Qatar or +974 44069999 from outside Qatar, or contact the nearest Qatari embassy or consulate .

Some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.

Some foreign governments and airlines apply the rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.

You can end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.

The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure it'll be valid for long enough, consider getting  a new passport .

Lost or stolen passport

Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.

Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible:

• In Australia, contact the  Australian Passport Information Service .
• If you're overseas, contact the nearest  Australian embassy or consulate .

The Australian Embassy can't issue a new passport in the airport transit area. If you're in the transit area without a passport, you'll need to return to Australia. In Australia, you'll need to apply for a new passport.

Passport with ‘X’ gender identifier

Although Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender, we can’t guarantee that a passport showing 'X' in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country. Contact the nearest  embassy, high commission or consulate of your destination  before you arrive at the border to confirm if authorities will accept passports with 'X' gender markers.

LGBTI travellers

The local currency is the Qatari Riyal (QAR).

Change currency only at commercial banks and official exchange bureaus.

Most businesses that deal with tourists accept international credit cards. ATMs are widely available.

Ask your bank if your cards will work in Qatar.

Local travel

Driving permit.

You can drive in Qatar with:

• a valid Australian driver's licence
• an International Driving Permit (IDP)

Get your IDP before leaving home.

If you hold a residence permit, you'll need a Qatari driver's licence.

• General Directorate of Traffic (Qatar Ministry of Interior)

Road travel

Traffic accidents are a leading cause of death in Qatar. It's challenging and dangerous to drive due to road construction and high speeds.

Visitors or business visa holders with a driver's licence from their home country can drive for up to 15 days from the date of entry into Qatar. You'll need to apply for a temporary Qatar driving licence to extend this. 

If you have an international licence, you can drive for up to 6 months from your date of entry into Qatar.

If you have a non-Qatari licence, you can rent a car if you are 25 years or older and have held a valid driving licence for at least 12 months. The availability of rental cars is likely to be low due to the high demand in Qatar.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) residents with a GCC driver's licence can drive for up to 3 months from their date of entry into Qatar.

Be careful driving on rural roads. They can be dangerous because of:

• unsafe driving
• drifting sands

Sandstorms and dust storms occur. This can significantly reduce visibility and lead to road accidents.

Rain can cause dangerous road conditions and flash flooding.

It's illegal:

• to drive with any alcohol in your system
• to leave the scene of an accident as a driver until the police tell you to do so

You can only move your vehicle off the road if there are no injuries from the accident.

It's also illegal to use obscene language and hand gestures in traffic. This includes responding to other drivers' poor driving or traffic incidents.

If you plan to drive:

• check you have enough insurance coverage before driving
• check local traffic laws and practices before driving
• drive carefully and legally
• avoid arguments over traffic incidents

If you have an accident, contact the police and stay with your vehicle if it's safe to do so.

• Driving or riding

Motorcycles

Check if your travel insurance policy covers you when using a motorbike, quad bike or similar vehicle.

Always wear a helmet.

Avoid touts and only use registered taxis and limousines. Arrange these through your accommodation. Avoid shared taxis.

Ride-sharing applications such as Uber are used extensively by the community, particularly in Doha.

Public transport

Qatar has a well-developed bus transport network and metro system. Information and timetables can be found online at Mowasalat 

Taxis and ride share vehicles are widely available in Doha.

• Transport and getting around safely

Many areas of the Gulf are sensitive to security issues and territorial disputes.

Disputes about sea boundaries can occur. There are disagreements about the sea boundaries and control of Abu Musa and Tunbs islands in the Southern Gulf.

Authorities can inspect your vessel and detain or arrest you if you're in sensitive waters.

Piracy  happens in the Gulf.  The  International Maritime Bureau  issues piracy reports on its website.

• Travelling by boat

DFAT doesn't provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.

Check  Qatar's air safety profile  with the Aviation Safety Network.

Emergencies

Depending on what you need, contact your:

• family and friends
• travel agent
• insurance provider

Always get a police report when you report a crime.

Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number. 

Consular contacts

Read the  Consular Services Charter  for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

For consular assistance, contact the Australian Embassy in Doha.

The working week is Sunday to Thursday.

Australian Embassy, Doha

Tornado Tower Majlis Al Taawon Street Doha, Qatar Phone: (+974) 4007 8500

Email:  [email protected] Website:  qatar.embassy.gov.au

Check the Embassy website for details about opening hours and any temporary closures.

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:

• +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
• 1300 555 135 in Australia

Travelling to Qatar?

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Qatar ‘re-evaluating’ role as mediator in Israel-Gaza truce talks

Qatar’s prime minister says there has been ‘abuse and harm’ done related to Doha’s mediation efforts.

Qatar’s prime minister has said Doha is re-evaluating its role as a mediator in negotiations aimed at bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli captives, adding that some parties have used the mediation for “narrow political interest”.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Turkey’s foreign minister in Qatar’s capital on Wednesday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said that while his government remains committed to mediation between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas on a “humanitarian basis”, there has been “abuse and harm” done related to Doha’s role.

Keep reading

Photos: israeli tanks push back into northern gaza, warplanes hit rafah, israel artist says venice biennale pavilion won’t open until gaza ceasefire, qatar to icj: israel carrying out ‘genocidal war’ on people of gaza, israeli delegation expected in qatar for more gaza talks.

Some parties have made “destructive” statements against Qatar, he said, without specifying to whom he was referring.

The comments came a day after US lawmaker Steny Hoyer accused Qatar of siding with Hamas and said Washington would re-evaluate its ties with Doha if it does not pressure Hamas to accept a ceasefire proposal advanced by Israel.

Qatari mediators earlier warned that talks on a truce in Gaza had hit a “stumbling block”.

The negotiations to end the fighting and secure the release of captives are at a “delicate phase,” Sheikh Mohammed said at a news conference alongside Romanian counterpart Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu.

“We are trying as much as possible to address this stumbling block”, he said.

Qatar has been working to try to mediate a deal throughout the  six months of fighting in Gaza. However, there is still no sign of any breakthrough in the negotiations, as Israel and Hamas each refuse to move on conditions the other side declares unacceptable.

As the longwinded talks, mediated by Qatar and Egypt, continue, the Israeli military has continued deadly operations inside the enclave, which remains blockaded.

Close to 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, while the 2.3-million-strong population have been left in dire conditions, amid shortages of food, shelter and medicine.

Meanwhile, the armed Hamas group continues to hold more than 100 captives taken from Israel during its raid across the enclave’s northern border on October 7, which killed more than 1,100.

The Qatari prime minister said negotiators are trying to “move forward and put an end to the suffering that the people in Gaza are experiencing and return the hostages”.

He condemned what he described as the policy of “collective punishment” being followed by Israel in Gaza, as well as the occupied West Bank.

Qatar has “warned from the beginning of this war against the expansion of the circle of conflict, and today, we see conflicts on different fronts,” he added. “We constantly call on the international community to assume its responsibilities and stop this war.”

The region is braced for the potential escalation of violence as Israel mulls its response to an attack by Iran over the weekend in retaliation to a suspected Israeli attack on its consulate in Syria.

Traveling between Europe and Asia will take longer as airlines reroute flights after Iran’s attack on Israel

Airlines are weighing an ever narrowing set of options to fly between Europe and Asia after grappling with airspace shutdowns in the wake of the first direct Iranian attack on Israel from its soil.

Several Middle Eastern countries including  Jordan , Iraq and Lebanon temporarily closed their airspace as Iran launched drones and missiles. Both Israel and Iran also imposed restrictions on airline traffic over theirs.

A number of airlines are rerouting or avoiding trouble spots in a series of decisions that will prolong flight times and add to fuel costs. They include Qantas Airways Ltd., Singapore Airlines Ltd. and Deutsche Lufthansa AG.

Qatar Airways and Emirates resumed some suspended Middle Eastern services on Sunday as airspaces reopened. 

Iran’s airspace is frequently utilized by airlines traveling between Europe and India or Southeast Asia.  Airspace  across the Middle East are littered with risks and complexities. Airlines are contending with a set of challenges after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine severed access for many carriers forcing lengthy diversions which exist to this day.

Earlier in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza, airlines faced scores of disruptions primarily centered on Tel Aviv, cancelling flights into or out of the country.

Israel shut down its airspace for both domestic and international routes on Saturday, before reopening them Sunday morning. Lebanon and Iraq too resumed flights over their territories.

The latest diversions come as Israel and its allies, led by the US, fended off Iran’s response to a  suspected Israeli attack  on Iran’s embassy in Syria on April 1, which killed a top military commander. Iran said on Saturday its forces seized an Israel-linked container ship near the Strait of Hormuz.

Days earlier, Lufthansa Group  suspended  flights to several cities in the Middle East. The group — whose airlines include Germany’s flag carrier Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines — said Sunday that it will resume flights to Tel Aviv, Erbil in Iraq and Amman on Tuesday, while those to Beirut and Tehran will continue to be halted until at least April 18.  

Qantas had  temporarily adjusted  its direct Perth-London flights to stop over in Singapore to account for the extra fuel needed to re-route around the volatile region.

Singapore Air  said  that its flights were not overflying Iranian airspace. Cathay Pacific Ltd. is watching the situation in the Middle East closely, but its operations remain normal, a spokesman said in a text message Sunday.

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Israel Plans to Expand ‘Humanitarian Zone’ if It Invades Rafah

An oceanside area currently crowded with displaced Gazans is among the sites being eyed for a larger safe zone for evacuees, a military official said.

• Share full article

By Adam Rasgon

Reporting from Jerusalem

If Israel were to begin an invasion in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where a million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, an Israeli-designated “humanitarian zone” along the coast would be expanded to take in more civilians, an Israeli military official said Monday evening.

The comments were among the first indications of the Israeli military’s plans for civilians if it were to launch a major ground offensive in Rafah. The Biden administration has urged Israel to forgo such an operation because of the risks it would pose to displaced Palestinians.

Palestinians who have sought shelter in Rafah have been bracing for an Israeli incursion for months, huddling in crowded tents, schools and apartments. Before arriving in Rafah, many had followed earlier Israeli calls to evacuate other areas in Gaza only to encounter bombardment in those places too.

Israeli officials have repeatedly said that the army will enter Rafah to fight Hamas battalions there, bucking international pressure to back off any operation.

In the case of an invasion, Israel would tell Palestinians to go to the enlarged “humanitarian zone,” which would include a narrow strip of beachside land known as Al-Mawasi , and other unidentified areas in Gaza, said the Israeli military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Mohammed al-Hassi, 48, a medic sheltering in Al-Mawasi, said the area was already overflowing with displaced people. He worried another influx would make conditions worse.

“There aren’t enough bathrooms, there isn’t enough clean water and there isn’t enough space,” he said. “The existing infrastructure can barely handle the number of people already here.”

It was unclear how much land beyond Al-Mawasi that Israel would seek to designate as a “humanitarian zone” for civilians. Satellite imagery from Planet Labs revealed a significant increase in the number of people there over the last few months: An aerial image from Sunday showed tent encampments occupying land that had been empty in mid-January.

The fighting continued elsewhere in Gaza on Tuesday, with the Israeli military saying it carried out several airstrikes in Beit Lahia, one of the northernmost cities in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli strikes killed at least one person and injured several others in Beit Lahia and damaged and set fire to several houses in nearby Gaza City, according to Wafa, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency. The strikes were carried out in response to rockets launched from the area toward southern Israel, all of which were successfully intercepted, according to the military.

Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, a spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces, or I.D.F., on Tuesday issued an “urgent warning” to residents to immediately evacuate parts of Beit Lahia. “You are in a dangerous combat zone,” Colonel Adraee wrote in Arabic on social media . “The I.D.F. will work with extreme force against terrorist infrastructure and subversive elements in the region.”

He ordered residents to move to shelters in other areas. But many residents of Gaza have said that no area is safe from Israeli military bombardment.

The Israeli military has heavily damaged Beit Lahia during previous offensives. The city, once known as Gaza’s breadbasket, is part of northern Gaza, where humanitarian officials have warned of the risk of famine as Israel has come under increasing international pressure to allow more aid to enter the enclave.

Addressing concerns about a Rafah invasion, Sandra Rasheed, the director of the Jerusalem office of Anera, a relief group, said that Israel had not told the aid group of an imminent operation there, but the organization had found a shelter for its staff members and their families to relocate to in Al-Mawasi. U.N. officials also said Israel had not informed them of an impending invasion.

Israel’s military first said Gaza’s residents should move to Al-Mawasi in mid-October, and it reiterated that demand in December, when it issued evacuation orders for the nearby city of Khan Younis and told residents to head to Al-Mawasi and some areas in Rafah.

Satellite imagery also appeared to show a new cluster of hundreds of tents being built west of Khan Younis. Imagery taken on Thursday showed more than 100 tents in the area, while imagery captured on Sunday showed more than 400.

Rafah is on the border with Egypt, but because Egypt is allowing hardly any Gazans to enter, there are few clear options for moving large numbers of civilians out of the city.

Earlier this month, Jamie McGoldrick, then a senior U.N. humanitarian official in Jerusalem, said that an Israeli invasion of Rafah could force hundreds of thousands of people to try to flee for points north, a risky journey across bombed-out roads littered with unexploded ordnance.

The Biden administration has repeatedly urged Israel to hold off on a major military assault on Rafah, including in a virtual meeting last week . During that meeting, U.S. officials evaluated options for the attack presented by Israel, but were not convinced that those plans met President Biden’s insistence that any operation be calibrated to minimize civilian casualties, according to a White House statement .

At a news conference in Washington on Tuesday, David Satterfield, the U.S. special envoy for humanitarian issues in Gaza, reiterated the Biden administration’s concerns about Israel’s plans to invade Rafah.

“We could not support a Rafah ground operation without an appropriate, credible, executable humanitarian plan,” Mr. Satterfield said, warning that an invasion would complicate aid deliveries and displace civilians who have already been uprooted multiple times.

“Where do they go?” he said. “How will their needs be met — shelter, medicine, water, sanitation?”

Al-Mawasi has previously been struck by the Israeli army, according to Palestinians in the area. Israel has accused militants of firing rockets from Al-Mawasi.

“There’s no safe place,” said Mr. al-Hassi, the medic sheltering in Al-Mawasi. “I’m someone with no hostility toward Israel or anyone in the world, but I can’t guarantee that the building, the land, or the car I’m next to won’t be targeted.”

In Rafah, Rajab al-Sindawi, a secondhand clothing salesman who had fled there from Gaza City in the north, said he was feeling anxious as he, his wife and their seven children squeezed into a small tent on a sidewalk.

“The people are all waiting to hear how they will move us,” he said.

Michael Levenson , Anushka Patil and Lauren Leatherby contributed reporting.

Adam Rasgon reports from Israel for The Times's Jerusalem bureau. More about Adam Rasgon

Our Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War

News and Analysis

The United Nations’ human rights office called for an independent investigation into two mass graves  found after Israeli forces withdrew from hospitals in Gaza, including one discovered days ago over which Israeli and Palestinian authorities offered differing accounts.

After weeks of delays, negotiations and distractions, Israel appeared to hint that its assault of Rafah  — a city teeming with more than a million displaced persons above ground and riddled with Hamas tunnels below — was all but inevitable. Here’s how it might unfold .

Germany said that it would resume funding  for the main U.N. agency aiding Palestinians in Gaza, known as UNRWA, after an independent review found that Israel had not provided evidence  of an allegation that led many donor nations to withdraw support.

The United Nations says famine is likely to set in by May in Gaza. For those living under Israel’s attacks and a crippling blockade, every day is a race against time. Here’s how two Palestinian families  try to keep their children alive.

A Generational Clash on Seder: At Passover Seders, many families addressed the war in Gaza , leading to rising tensions, while 200 New Yorkers from pro-Palestinian Jewish groups were arrested after rallying  near Chuck Schumer’s home to protest aid to Israel.

PEN America’s Fallout: The free expression group PEN America has canceled its 2024 literary awards ceremony following months of escalating protests over the organization’s response to the war in Gaza , which has been criticized as overly sympathetic to Israel.

Fears Over Iran Buoy Netanyahu: The Israeli prime minister lost considerable support after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. Tensions with Iran have helped him claw  some of it back.

A Surprising Rift: The Israel-Hamas war, which has roiled cultural and political institutions far beyond the Middle East, is causing divisions in a prominent Japanese American group .

Watch CBS News

U.S. issues travel warning for Israel with Iran attack believed to be imminent and fear Gaza war could spread

By Debora Patta , Tucker Reals

Updated on: April 13, 2024 / 5:25 PM EDT / CBS News

Update: Iran launched drone attacks against Israel on Saturday. Read CBS News'  latest coverage here .

Tel Aviv  — Israel is bracing for a worst-case scenario that U.S. officials believe could materialize within just hours — the possibility of a direct attack on Israeli soil by Iran in retaliation for a strike almost two weeks ago that killed seven Iranian military officers. Iran has vowed to take revenge for Israel killing its commanders, who were hit by an April 1 strike on the Iranian embassy in Syria's capital.

Two U.S. officials told CBS News that a major Iranian attack against Israel was expected as soon as Friday, possibly to include more than 100 drones and dozens of missiles aimed at military targets inside the country. Sources have told CBS News the retaliation could include attacks carried out both by Iranian forces, and proxy groups around the region that it has been funneling additional arms to for weeks.  

The officials said it would be challenging for the Israelis to defend against an attack of that magnitude, and while they held out the possibility that the Iranians could opt for a smaller-scale attack to avoid a dramatic escalation, their retaliation was believed to be imminent. 

Asked Friday how imminent he believes an attack is, President Biden responded, "I don't want to get into secure information, but my expectation is sooner than later." The president urged Iran not to move forward, saying his message to Tehran was: "Don't."

Tehran has not indicated publicly how or when it will return fire, so it's unclear how far Iran's leaders will go. If they decide to carry out a direct attack on Israel, there's fear it could blow Israel's ongoing war against Iranian ally Hamas up into a much wider regional conflict.

With the Iranian retaliation expected at any time, the U.S. State Department on Thursday warned Americans in Israel not to travel outside major cities, which are better protected from incoming rocket fire by the country's Iron Dome missile defense system. The latest guidance noted that travel by U.S. government employees in Israel could be further restricted with little notice as things develop in the tinderbox region.

"Whoever harms us, we will harm them," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Thursday as he visited troops at an Israel Defense Forces airbase. "We are prepared … both defensively and offensively."

On Saturday, all U.S. embassies in the Middle East were put on high alert and required to hold emergency action committee meetings. Diplomats in Lebanon and Israel were specifically told not to travel to certain areas within those countries.

Sima Shine, a security expert and former official with Israel's national intelligence agency Mossad, told CBS News it was a dangerous moment for the region, and the "most worried" she has been. She said anxiety over an all-out war was likely just as high "on both sides, in Israel and in Iran."

If Iran does choose to strike Israel directly, it could involve a complex missile and drone attack similar to the one Iranian forces launched against a Saudi oil facility in 2019 .

"They will try to do it on the military or some military asset," Shine predicted. "But the question will be the damage. If there would be many injured people, killed or injured … I think it has the potential for a huge escalation."

Shine stressed, however, that she still believes neither side actually wants a regional conflict.

U.S. "really trying to avoid war"

The U.S. sent a senior general to Israel this week to coordinate with the close American ally on any response it might make to an Iranian attack. Speaking Friday on "CBS Mornings," America's top military officer said, "we're really trying to avoid war."

"This is part of the dialogue that I have with my counterparts within the region, to include the Israeli chief of defense, who I talked to yesterday," said Joint Chiefs chairman Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., adding that the U.S. military was "doing things not only to prevent a war, but at the same time, one of my primary things is to make sure all the forces in the region are protected."

"My role, as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is to plan and prepare," Brown said. "That's one thing we do very well."

Brown's Israeli counterpart, Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, "completed a comprehensive situational assessment on the readiness of the IDF for all scenarios," Israel's military said Friday. 

"The IDF is very strongly prepared, both offensively and defensively, against any threat," Halevi was quoted as saying in the statement. "The IDF continues to monitor closely what is happening in Iran and different arenas, constantly preparing to deal with existing and potential threats in coordination with the United States Armed Forces." 

The IDF said the visiting U.S. general, Central Command chief Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, was taking part in the IDF's situational assessment.

The dilemma for Iran, said Israeli expert Shine, is to figure out how to deliver its promised response to Israel's attack in Syria, but in a way that does not lead to further escalation. Likewise, Shine said Israel could choose to show restraint when it responds to whatever Iran eventually does.

If either side gets the balance wrong, the consequences for the region, and even the world, could be dire.

Weijia Jiang, David Martin, Margaret Brennan and Olivia Gazis contributed reporting.

• Middle East
• Benjamin Neta​nyahu

Debora Patta is a CBS News foreign correspondent based in Johannesburg. Since joining CBS News in 2013, she has reported on major stories across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Edward R. Murrow and Scripps Howard awards are among the many accolades Patta has received for her work.

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April 11, 2024 - Israel-Hamas war

By Heather Chen , Antoinette Radford, Tori B. Powell , Aditi Sangal and Elise Hammond , CNN

Our live coverage of Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza has moved  here .

UN committee fails to reach consensus on full Palestinian membership, Security Council president says

From CNN’s Richard Roth and Michael Rios

A specialized UN committee failed to reach a consensus Thursday on Palestinian membership in the United Nations, according to the president of the UN Security Council.

Two-thirds of the committee members were in favor of moving on with membership, with many countries arguing that “Palestine fulfills all the criteria that are required” to be granted full state member status, Malta's Ambassador and Security Council President Vanessa Frazier said. 

She added that no one explicitly objected to the membership qualifications.

Frazier also said she would circulate a draft report on the deliberations as soon as Friday. If the committee doesn’t agree on the report, it could hold another meeting to iron out any differences.

Asked whether the process of deliberating Palestinian membership in the committee is now over, Frazier said, “Unless the next step of agreeing (to) the report of the committee warrants another meeting to iron out the differences, it’s not foreseen that there would be any further committee action.”

But she noted that any UN Security Council member can still table a resolution to vote on Palestinian membership at any time, regardless of the committee's report.

The US and Middle East brace for a possible Iran attack that could escalate the conflict. Here's the latest

From CNN staff

Concerns about a possible Iranian attack against Israel has prompted many diplomatic conversations around the globe.

Here are some developments on diplomacy around the threat of an attack:

• Iran's statement: The imperative for Tehran to "punish" Israel for the deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week might have been avoided if the attack had been condemned at the United Nations, Iran’s Mission to the UN said Thursday.
• US and UK diplomacy: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with the foreign ministers of Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday night and Thursday morning to tell them that countries should be urging Iran not to escalate the conflict in the Middle East after  threats made by Tehran against Israel,  according to a State Department spokesperson. The top US general for the Middle East is also in Israel . Additionally, Britain's foreign secretary warned his Iranian counterpart on Thursday that Tehran “must not draw” the Middle East into a wider conflict .
• Israel receives US support: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke with Blinken and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The US officials expressed the country's support for Israel against Iranian threats. Gallant warned that such an attack could lead to a regional escalation.
• Travel restrictions: The US State Department restricted the travel of US government personnel in Israel in the wake of public threats against Israel by Iran. “The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,” the alert noted. US officials  are on high alert  for a potential retaliatory strike by Iran or its proxies against Israel.

Meanwhile, here's some other updates:

• Hamas on hostages: A member of Hamas' political bureau said   a prisoner-hostage exchange is being discussed as part of larger ceasefire negotiations. "Part of negotiations is to reach a ceasefire agreement to have enough time and safety to collect final and more precise data" on the hostages held in Gaza, Basem Naim said in a statement on Thursday. "Because they (hostages) are in different palaces, (being held) by different groups, some of them are under the rubble killed with our own people, and we negotiate to get heavy equipment for this purpose."
• Updates on aid to Gaza: It is clear that Israel is working to ramp up humanitarian aid to Gaza, but it has not yet implemented all of the measures it has announced, a top United Nations humanitarian official said. Aid coming in trucks from Israel has to be "segregated from water, from food, from medical items" before it goes into Gaza, said Jamie McGoldrick, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Jerusalem. “Getting 400 trucks from Kerem Shalom doesn't mean 400 trucks go into Gaza,” he said, adding that the logistical complications are numerous, and take time to resolve. He also said Israel’s restrictions on movement inside the strip complicate matters.

Anera charity resumes work in Gaza after pausing when Israeli strike killed 7 World Central Kitchen staff

From CNN's Tala Alrajjal and Mohammed Tawfeeq

American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) has resumed Gaza operations "after a temporary pause" following an airstrike that killed seven World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid workers on April 1.

"As you know, the decision to temporarily pause our operations was not an easy one. We followed the direction of our staff in Gaza, who've faced death, loss, and destruction since the start of the war," Sean Carroll, the president and CEO of Anera, said in a statement on Thursday. "After the killing of Anera staff member Mousa Shawwa , followed by the attack that killed seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen, we made the difficult but necessary decision to pause aid operations on April 2," Carroll added in the statement.

Carroll said Israeli authorities informed him during a meeting Thursday that "certain measures would be taken to protect humanitarian aid workers in Gaza – including Anera's staff."

"With the full support of our Gaza team, we have determined that the circumstances have changed sufficiently to resume our vital humanitarian work in Gaza," Carroll said. 

Anera on Thursday resumed "full operations in Gaza to deliver meals, food parcels, hygiene kits, tents, medical treatments, and more to families in dire need," according to the statement.

Iran says its imperative to punish Israel could have been avoided had UN Security Council condemned attack

From CNN’s Natalie Barr and Adam Pourahmadi

The imperative for Tehran to "punish" Israel for the deadly strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week might have been avoided if the attack had been condemned at the United Nations, Iran’s Mission to the UN said Thursday.

“Had the UN Security Council condemned the Zionist regime’s reprehensible act of aggression on our diplomatic premises in Damascus and subsequently brought to justice its perpetrators, the imperative for Iran to punish this rogue regime might have been obviated," the  mission said on X.

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the attack on April 1, according to a statement from the UN spokesperson Stephan Dujarric. A Security Council discussion was held on April 2 to discuss the attack, but differences among members prevented any formal action or condemnation from taking place.

The United States is on high alert and actively preparing for a “significant” attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region  in response to the strike in Damascus  that killed top Iranian commanders.

UK foreign secretary warns Iran not to draw Middle East into wider conflict

From CNN's Natalie Barr

Britain's foreign secretary warned his Iranian counterpart on Thursday that Tehran “must not draw” the Middle East into a wider conflict following a series of escalating threats made by Iran toward Israel.

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron told Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian that the United Kingdom was "deeply concerned about the potential for miscalculation leading to further violence. Iran should instead work to de-escalate and prevent further attacks," according to a post on X .

Iran's state-aligned Tasnim news agency on Thursday reported that Amir-Abdollahian had told Cameron that the silence from the UK and the United States following Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus last week only served to encourage Israel to continue waging war in Gaza and expand its conflict in the region.

US and Israeli defense leaders discuss fears of Iranian attack

From CNN’s Michael Conte in Washington, DC, Tamar Michaelis in Jerusalem and Larry Register in Atlanta

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant today to “reaffirm the US ironclad commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies,” according to a Pentagon spokesperson.

The call comes a day after Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel " must be punished and it will be" following a strike on an Iranian embassy compound in Syria that killed seven Iranian officials.

Israel “will not tolerate an Iranian attack on its territory,” the statement read, adding that the two defense leaders also discussed detailed preparations “for an Iranian attack against the State of Israel.”

Gallant said an Iranian attack on Israel could lead to a regional escalation.

It is the second discussion held between Gallant and Austin over the past week, according to the statement. Gallant expressed his appreciation for Austin’s personal commitment to the security of the State of Israel and for the deepening cooperation between the defense establishments of both countries, as well as between the Israel Defense Forces and US CENTCOM.

State Department restricts personnel travel in Israel amid concerns over Iranian threats

From CNN's Jennifer Hansler

The US State Department has restricted the travel of US government personnel in Israel in the wake of public threats against Israel by Iran.

“Out of an abundance of caution, U.S. government employees and their family members are restricted from personal travel outside the greater Tel Aviv (including Herzliya, Netanya, and Even Yehuda), Jerusalem, and Be’er Sheva areas until further notice,” a  security alert  posted by the US Embassy Thursday said. “U.S. government personnel are authorized to transit between these three areas for personal travel.” “The security environment remains complex and can change quickly depending on the political situation and recent events,” the alert noted.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said he would not “speak to the specific assessments that led to us to restrict our employees and family members’ personal travel, but clearly we are monitoring the threat environment in the Middle East and specifically in Israel.”

“We have seen Iran making public threats against Israel in the past few days,” Miller said. “Israel is in a very tough neighborhood and we have been monitoring the security situation. You saw us slightly adjust for travel warnings at the beginning of this conflict and we conduct ongoing assessments all the time about the situation on the ground.”

US officials are on high alert for a potential retaliatory strike by Iran or its proxies against Israel.

Hamas says ceasefire with Israel is essential to collect data on hostages held in Gaza by different groups

From CNN's Abeer Salman and Mohammed Tawfeeq

A member of Hamas' political bureau said   a prisoner-hostage exchange is being discussed as part of larger ceasefire negotiations.

"Part of negotiations is to reach a ceasefire agreement to have enough time and safety to collect final and more precise data" on the hostages held in Gaza Basem Naim said in a statement on Thursday. "Because they (hostages) are in different palaces, (being held) by different groups, some of them are under the rubble killed with our own people, and we negotiate to get heavy equipment for this purpose," he added.

Naim's statement was in response to questions from media outlets about whether Hamas has been rejecting the latest proposal, which was made in Cairo over the weekend, because it can not release 40 hostages in the first phase of a three-stage ceasefire deal.

According to an Israeli official and a source familiar with the discussions, Hamas indicated it is currently unable to identify and track down those 40 Israeli hostages, raising fears that more hostages may be dead than are publicly known. 

CNN's record of the conditions of the hostages also suggests there are fewer than 40 living hostages who meet the proposed criteria.

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