Haniyeh’s successor emphasized that Haniyeh's death would only strengthen the group's resolve against Israel.
DUBAI: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 2nd, 2024) Ismail Haniyeh, a top leader of Hamas, was buried in Qatar on Friday following his assassination in Tehran.
Haniyeh’s successor emphasized that Haniyeh's death would only strengthen the group's resolve against Israel.
Haniyeh's killing is part of a series of targeted attacks on senior Hamas figures amid the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel, now nearing its 11th month. Both Hamas and Iran have blamed Israel for the assassination and vowed retaliation. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
Haniyeh was buried in Lusail after a funeral at the Iman Mohamed Ibn Abd Al-Wahhab Mosque in Doha. His coffin, draped in the Palestinian flag, was carried in a procession, accompanied by the bodyguard who was killed alongside him in the Tehran attack.
Prominent mourners included Khaled Meshaal, considered the likely new Hamas leader, along with other senior Hamas officials and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. In his address, Meshaal declared that Haniyeh's death would intensify their struggle for Palestinian liberation and rejected any recognition of Israel.
"Palestine will remain from the river to the sea," Meshaal stated, reinforcing the group's stance against Israel.
Haniyeh's assassination was described as a significant loss, but Meshaal insisted it would not change their path. "Our enemies don't learn," he said. "When a leader ascends, another leader comes."
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri warned that Israel's actions would lead to its downfall, saying, "The blood of Haniyeh will change all equations."
According to senior Hamas official Khalil Al-Hayya, Haniyeh was killed by a missile strike on the guesthouse where he was staying in Tehran. This attack is one of several recent strikes targeting Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, extending the conflict from Gaza to the Red Sea and the Lebanon-Israel border.
The assassination has drawn international reactions, with U.S. President Joe Biden expressing concern that it could hinder efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza. Qatar, along with Egypt and the U.S., has been actively involved in peace negotiations.
Haniyeh, known for his diplomatic role within Hamas, had been living between Turkey and Doha. His leadership was viewed as more pragmatic compared to the hardliners within Gaza. His family suffered heavy losses in the conflict, with three of his sons and four grandchildren killed in an Israeli airstrike.
Hamas, labeled a terrorist organization by Israel and Western nations, is seen by its supporters as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation. Haniyeh had been the face of Hamas since 2017, avoiding travel restrictions imposed on Gaza.
The International Criminal Court had sought arrest warrants for Haniyeh and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for alleged war crimes. Both Israel and Palestinian leaders have dismissed these allegations.
Besides it, Israel announced the assassination of Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif in Gaza, a claim Hamas has not confirmed. Hezbollah also reported the death of its senior commander Fuad Shukr in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, promising a response.
