Qatar’s former ruler Sheikh Hamad dies at 74; created Al Jazeera, funded Hamas’s Gaza

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar who ruled from 1995 to 2013, has died at the age of 74. During his tenure, he transformed Qatar into a significant global player through investments, the establishment of Al Jazeera, and mediation efforts, including funding for Hamas in Gaza, before transferring power to his son.

Based on initial report · will update when full text is available