Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas, was slain in Iran early Wednesday, the Palestinian organization announced. Hamas announced that its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Iran early Wednesday. This raises concerns about further escalation amid Israel’s Gaza offensive and Lebanon’s crisis.
Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA reported that Haniyeh’s bodyguard was also killed early Wednesday in Tehran. Israel has not yet commented.
Hamas announced that its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was slain in Iran early Wednesday, raising concerns about regional escalation.
The announcement has hurt Gaza ceasefire chances, following Israel’s claim of killing the Hezbollah leader behind the Golan Heights attack. Sami Abu Zuhri called Haniyeh’s assassination a serious escalation, claiming Hamas is an institution and vision, not just a group.
Zuhri declared that Hamas would stick to its course and added, “We are confident of victory.”
Iran’s top security authority will meet to discuss their response to Haniyeh’s death. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the US would support Israel’s defense if attacked, despite efforts to reduce tensions.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that while Washington will work to lower tensions, it will back Israel if attacked.
Despite being Haniyeh’s opponent, Abbas denounced the murder as “cowardly.”
According to a statement from Abbas’s office, “President Mahmud Abbas of the State of Palestine strongly condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, deeming it a cowardly act and a serious escalation.“
“He called on our people and their armed forces to come together, exercise patience, and resist the Israeli occupation.”
“His father endured four attempts at assassination during his national journey, and today Allah has granted him the cross that he always wished for,“ stated Abdul Salam, Haniyeh’s son.
We confirm that the killing will not deter the resistance, which will keep fighting until it achieves independence. He dedicated himself to national unity and worked to unite all Palestinian factions.
Iranian state media said that Mohsen Rezaie, a former Revolutionary Guards commander, threatened Israel that it would “pay a heavy price“ for killing Haniyeh in Tehran.
Haniyeh, based in Qatar, handles Hamas’s foreign diplomacy amid the Gaza conflict. Israeli bombing killed three of his sons.
After Haniyeh became Hamas’s leader in 2017, he travelled between Turkiye and Doha to bypass Gaza’s travel restrictions.
. This allowed him to negotiate a truce or speak with Hamas’ partner, Iran.
Haniyeh’s killing comes as Israel’s Gaza operation enters its tenth month with no signs of stopping. The fighting has rocked the Middle East and raised the possibility of escalating into a larger regional confrontation.
Despite international pressure, Egypt and Qatar’s mediation has failed, and resentment towards Netanyahu’s government is growing among relatives of Israeli captives. Who remains held in Gaza?
The risk of an Israel-Hezbollah clash has increased after the Golan Heights attack and Fuad Shukr’s assassination.
On October 7, Hamas militants attacked Israeli villages, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 prisoners, marking the battle’s start.
Israel’s offensive on Gaza has resulted in over 39,000 deaths and a severe humanitarian crisis affecting over two million people.
Critiques flood in
While several Middle Eastern nations denounced Haniyeh’s death, they warned it would severely hinder efforts to end Israel’s Gaza offensive.
Published by her party, Senator Sherry Rehman’s statement denounced the death. She claimed that Israel had sent a message that “no one can stop us“ through it.
The top lawmaker said Israel isn’t sincere about Gaza negotiations and truce, citing the “serious attack on Tehran’s soil.”
Rehman declared, “This is an attack not just on Iran’s sovereignty but also on Hamas,“ adding that the move might make the Middle East more dangerous.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its territorial integrity, honour, pride, and dignity and make the terrorist invaders regret their cowardly action,“ declared Masoud Pezeshkian, the country’s just sworn-in president, on X.
The murder was described as a “heinous crime“ by the foreign ministry of Qatar, the country where Haniyeh was employed and which has acted as a mediator in the Gaza conflict.
According to the ministry, there has been a “dangerous development“ and a “flagrant breach of global and fundamental law“ with the Tehran strike.
The assassination and Israel’s continued attacks on Gaza civilians will undermine chances for peace in the region.
Hakan Fidan, the foreign minister of Turkey, expressed his “deep sadness“ after learning of Haniyeh’s “martyred“ status and noted that he had come to represent Palestinian resilience.
The goal of this strike is to escalate the conflict in Gaza to a regional scale.
The Turkish ministry warned that greater conflicts will arise if the international community doesn’t act against Israel.
Russia’s Mikhail Bogdanov told RIA Novosti that the political assassination is intolerable and will heighten tensions.
The vice-president of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament, Konstantin Kosachev, foresaw a “sudden escalation of mutual hatred“ in the Middle East.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said, “We are highly concerned about the incident and firmly oppose and condemn the assassination,“ as China joined the other nations in denouncing the act.
“Unambiguously condemns all acts of violence, including planned murder, and urges all compassionate nations to join in condemning such acts,“ stated Malaysia’s foreign ministry.
The Taliban leaders in Afghanistan referred to Haniyeh’s passing as “a great loss.”
Hezbollah said the murder will strengthen its resolve against the Zionist enemy amid escalating conflict with Israel.
The group called Haniyeh “a great resistance leader who bravely opposed Zionist occupation and American hegemony.”
Houthi leader Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi called the attack on Haniyeh a “heinous terrorist crime“ and a “flagrant violation.”
Veteran Thai politician Areepen Uttarasin called the assassination “very important“ because it happened in Iran. He emphasized, “It demonstrates that Hamas’s adversaries can strike anywhere.” supernews
Iqra Khan 
Arshad Hussain