The late Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who died on Sunday, is remembered for his longstanding support of Palestinians and for being the first Arab leader to visit Gaza, where he announced a $400 million reconstruction grant in October 2012 after bypassing the blockade that began in 2007.

He visited Gaza on October 23, 2012 with his wife Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and a high‑level delegation, arriving amid a political isolation of the enclave by Western powers and regional actors. During the visit he increased Qatar’s reconstruction grant from $254 million to $400 million, laying the foundation for housing, infrastructure and healthcare projects that benefited thousands of Palestinians.

The emir called for an emergency Arab summit in Doha during the 2008–2009 Gaza war, proposing a $250 million reconstruction fund and a maritime corridor to bypass the blockade, and publicly expressed disappointment that an Arab quorum was lacking. He praised the resilience of the Palestinian people and criticized the international community’s double standards.

Qatar funded the rehabilitation of vital highways and the $58 million Hamad City public housing project in Khan Younis, which provided 53 modern apartment buildings for low‑income families. The Sheikh Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics, opened in April 2019, became the territory’s premier facility for amputees and children with hearing impairments and operates the only CT scanner in northern Gaza.

Satellite imagery from May 2026 confirms that Hamad City and other areas in southern Gaza were largely destroyed during the 2023–2024 conflict, yet the hospital resumed vital services in December 2024 after receiving a CT scanner and expanding capacity to handle a 225 percent increase in amputation cases.

Palestinian officials, including Hamas diaspora office head Khaled Meshaal and journalist Ahmed al‑Sheikh, praised the emir’s commitment, describing his visit as a historic act of solidarity. The continued operation of the hospital and the legacy of the reconstruction projects illustrate the lasting impact of his support, though the future of Gaza’s reconstruction remains uncertain.