Haniyeh was assassinated in the early hours of the morning in Iran, the Palestinian militant group said on Wednesday, drawing fears of wider escalation in a region shaken by Israel's war in Gaza and a worsening conflict in Lebanon.
The assassination, which came less than 24 hours after Israel claimed to have killed the Hezbollah commander it said was behind a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, appeared to set back chances of any imminent ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Saudi Arabia's benchmark index fell 0.3 per cent, hit by a 4 per cent slide in aluminium products manufacturer Al Taiseer Group and a 0.6 per cent decrease in Al Rajhi Bank.
Dubai's main share index eased 0.1 per cent, with blue-chip developer Emaar Properties falling 1.2 per cent.
In Abu Dhabi, the index dropped 0.5 per cent, with conglomerate International Holding losing 0.2 per cent.
Oil futures rebounded from 7-week lows after the assassination, but prices stayed under pressure from concerns about weak Chinese demand.
The Qatari benchmark was down 0.2 per cent, weighed down by a 1.9 per cent decline in Qatar Navigation retreating 1.9 per cent.
On the other hand, telecoms firm Ooredoo added 0.8 per cent after reporting a rise in second-quarter profit, which limited the declines in the benchmark.
Major Gulf markets ease amid tensions after killing of Hamas leader
FE Team | Published: August 01, 2024 00:37:00
Major Gulf markets ease amid tensions after killing of Hamas leader
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