FORMER QATARI EMIR SHEIKH HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL THANI DIES AT 74

Qatar's Amiri Diwan announced Sunday that former emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani has died at the age of 74, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The Amiri Diwan, the office of Qatar's emir, did not disclose a cause of death. Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, a period in which the small Gulf state expanded its liquefied natural gas industry, launched Al Jazeera, developed a more visible diplomatic role and built a global profile far beyond its population or territory. World leaders offered condolences after the announcement, according to international reporting.

Sheikh Hamad took power in 1995 from his father, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani. His rise marked a decisive shift in Qatar's modern political direction. At the time, Qatar was already energy-rich, but it had not yet become the international diplomatic, media and investment actor it would become over the following two decades. Under Sheikh Hamad, the state used its gas wealth, sovereign investment, media reach and foreign policy activism to build influence across the Middle East and beyond. The transformation was not only economic. It changed how Qatar was perceived by allies, rivals and larger regional powers.

One of the most visible changes during his rule was the launch of Al Jazeera in 1996. The network became one of the most influential Arabic-language media organizations in the region and later expanded into English-language and international platforms. Its coverage brought Qatar new influence but also controversy. Al Jazeera was praised by supporters as a break from more deferential state-media traditions in the Arab world, while critics accused it of reflecting the priorities of Qatar's rulers or destabilizing other governments. However viewed, its launch became one of the defining institutional projects of Sheikh Hamad's era and a major part of Qatar's global identity.

Sheikh Hamad's rule also included domestic institutional changes. Qatar's first permanent constitution was promulgated in 2004, and municipal elections were introduced, with women allowed to vote and stand as candidates. Those changes did not turn Qatar into a parliamentary democracy, and the country remained a hereditary monarchy. But they formed part of the state-building period associated with Sheikh Hamad's rule, as Qatar sought to modernize its institutions while preserving the authority of the ruling Al Thani family.

The largest economic shift of Sheikh Hamad's reign came through the development of Qatar's liquefied natural gas sector. Qatar expanded into one of the world's major LNG exporters, using its North Field gas reserves and long-term energy strategy to generate wealth, build infrastructure and deepen ties with energy-importing states. That gas expansion helped finance state investment abroad, the growth of Qatar Airways, major construction projects and international sports ambitions. It also gave Qatar strategic weight, allowing the country to pursue a more independent foreign policy than its size would otherwise suggest.

That foreign policy became another defining feature of Sheikh Hamad's time in power. Qatar positioned itself as a mediator in conflicts and political disputes across the Middle East and beyond. The country hosted talks, maintained channels with rival actors and used diplomatic access as a form of influence. This role brought visibility and sometimes leverage, but it also created tensions with other governments that viewed Qatar's contacts and media policies as disruptive. Under Sheikh Hamad and after him, Qatar's diplomacy became closely associated with its willingness to talk to actors that other states avoided.

In 2013, Sheikh Hamad voluntarily handed power to his son, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who was then 33. Voluntary abdication by a hereditary Gulf Arab ruler was rare, making the transition one of the most notable political moments in the region that year. The transfer avoided the uncertainty that can accompany royal succession and placed a younger ruler at the head of the state. It also allowed Sheikh Hamad to step back while the political system and foreign policy architecture he built remained in place. Sheikh Tamim has ruled Qatar since that handover.

The announcement of Sheikh Hamad's death closes a major chapter in Qatar's modern history. The current reporting does not disclose a cause of death, and no succession implications follow from the announcement. The state is already ruled by Sheikh Tamim, who received power from his father in 2013. The public record supports a narrower conclusion: the former emir who oversaw Qatar's emergence as a major LNG exporter, regional mediator and global media actor has died, and Qatar and foreign governments are marking the death of a ruler whose policies shaped the country's modern role.

Fact-check date: 12 July 2026
Article type: News
Sources: Qatar Amiri Diwan announcement as reported by Al Jazeera and Reuters; Reuters reporting carried by Cyprus Mail and Dawn; Associated Press reporting on Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani's death and political legacy.