Iran and Hamas have blamed Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination on Israel, which has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in the attack. He is the third prominent figure from Iran-backed militant groups to be killed in recent weeks.
Thousands of people attended the funeral of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in an attack blamed on Israel on his Tehran residence, as Iran and its regional allies vowed to retaliate.
The remains of one of the Islamist movement’s top leaders and his bodyguard were placed in coffins covered with Palestinian flags.
The funeral prayer, in a large mosque in Dohabrought together many officials from Hamas’ political bureau, based in the Qatari capital, including Khaled Mechaal, 68, a close collaborator of Haniyeh who is expected to succeed him.
“Let this Friday be a day of overwhelming anger to condemn the assassination“, Hamas said earlier in a statement.
Many people also took to the streets of Beirutthe capital of Lebanon, to condemn the assassination and carry a symbolic coffin.
Hundreds more bowed to pray at Ankara and in other Turkish cities.
The Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv Israel lowered its flag to half-mast on Friday in honor of Ismail Haniyeh, sparking outrage among authorities in the Hebrew state.
“Israel will not agree to participate in mourning for a murderer” said Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who summoned Turkey’s deputy ambassador.
Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s Minister of Internal Security and a far-right figure, called on embassy staff to “to remove the flag entirely and return home“, reports The Times of Israel.
Media: US prepares to counter Iranian attack on Israel in coming days
Haniyeh’s assassination has raised fears that Israel’s war against Hamas and its Iran-backed allies could turn into an all-out war in the Middle East, with Tehran vowing retaliation.
According to the Emirati television channel Sky News Arabia, citing Western intelligence services, Iran is planning to attack Israel on Tisha B’Av, which marks the memory of the destruction of the two Temples in Jerusalem.
The White House is convinced that Iran will attack Israel, the American online media outlet Axios reports, citing three American officials. According to the publication, Washington expects Iranian retaliation “are based on the same scenario as the April 13 attack on Israel, but are potentially more significant, and also involve Lebanese Hezbollah“.
Several international airlines, including Lufthansa, Swiss, ITA, United and Delta have announced that they are suspending flights to and from Israel.due to geopolitical developments” In the region.
