Former Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani's support for Lebanon and Palestine became one of the defining features of his regional legacy, marked by landmark visits to war-ravaged Lebanon in 2006 and the besieged Gaza Strip in 2012 , alongside hundreds of millions of dollars in reconstruction aid.
His visits to both territories at the time were widely viewed as powerful and rare political statements of solidarity by an Arab leader when those nations faced brutal Israeli military attacks and international isolation.
In August 2006, days after the end of Israel's 34-day war on Lebanon, Sheikh Hamad became the first head of state to visit the country since the conflict began.
Arriving from Syria, he toured Beirut's southern suburb alongside then Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, witnessing first-hand the devastation caused by Israeli air strikes.
At a joint news conference, Sheikh Hamad described the outcome of the war as a turning point for the Arab world, saying Hezbollah's ability to withstand Israel's military offensive showed that Israel could no longer impose its will on Arabs through force.
"The Lebanese people and its resistance have achieved the first Arab victory, which we have wanted for long years," he said.
The former emir also urged Israel to fully implement the UN-brokered ceasefire by ending its air and naval blockade of Lebanon , revealing that even his own aircraft had required Israeli clearance before landing in Beirut.
Rejecting Israel's argument that the blockade was necessary to prevent Hezbollah from rearming, Sheikh Hamad said Lebanon had the same right to defend itself as Israel.
"I believe it is unacceptable that arms are banned to the Lebanese and allowed to the Israelis," he said. "He who believes in this theory wants to place Lebanon in a cage so that it could be easy prey for Israel at any time."
On Sunday, Hezbollah issued a statement mourning his passing, saying he had played a "prominent role" in supporting Lebanon during difficult periods, and highlighted his support for Arab and Islamic causes and for Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation.
Lebanon's reconstruction
During the visit, Sheikh Hamad pledged Qatar's support for rebuilding Lebanon after the war.
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri later announced that Doha would fund the reconstruction of the southern towns of Bint Jbeil and Khiam , two of the areas worst affected by the Israeli bombardment.
Qatar ultimately contributed around $250 million to rebuilding southern cities, while additional Qatari-funded projects helped restore villages across south Lebanon.
The country's contribution became widely recognised in Lebanon, where later reports described reconstruction efforts being celebrated under the slogan "Shukran Qatar" ("Thank you Qatar").
Four years later, Sheikh Hamad returned to Lebanon to inspect the projects Qatar had funded. In July 2010, he travelled by helicopter with then-President Michel Suleiman to Bint Jbeil, where he was joined by Prime Minister Saad Hariri and welcomed by Hezbollah officials and thousands of residents lining the streets.
Speaking in the border town, which witnessed some of the fiercest fighting during the 2006 war, Sheikh Hamad described Lebanon as a country built on coexistence and stressed the importance of preserving its Arab identity.
Qatar's role extended beyond reconstruction. In 2008, Doha brokered the agreement that ended Lebanon's political crisis and paved the way for the formation of a national unity government.
The Arab leader who "broke" Israel’s siege on Gaza
Sheikh Hamad's solidarity with Palestinians was equally significant.
In October 2012, he became the first Arab head of state to visit the Gaza Strip after Israel imposed its blockade on the enclave. Accompanied by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and a senior delegation, he visited Gaza despite its political isolation and received a large public welcome.
During the visit, Sheikh Hamad increased Qatar's reconstruction grant from $254 million to $400 million, financing housing, roads, hospitals and infrastructure projects across the Strip. Among the most prominent were Hamad City in Khan Younis and the Sheikh Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics.
Palestinians widely viewed the visit as breaking Gaza's political isolation and challenging the blockade imposed on the territory. Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal later said Sheikh Hamad had become the first Arab and Muslim leader to stand alongside Gaza "in its darkest circumstances".
His support for Palestine predated the Gaza blockade. In 1999, Sheikh Hamad became the first Gulf leader to visit the Palestinian territories since 1967, meeting late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
During Israel's 2008-09 war on Gaza , he called for an emergency Arab summit in Doha, proposed a $250 million reconstruction fund and advocated establishing a maritime corridor to help bypass the blockade, publicly expressing disappointment when several Arab governments boycotted the meeting.
Much of the infrastructure Qatar financed under Sheikh Hamad's leadership has since been destroyed during Israel's war on Gaza. However, the Sheikh Hamad Hospital has continued operating despite repeated attacks and severe shortages, providing vital treatment for thousands of Palestinians.