Thousands in Qatar bid farewell to slain Hamas chief

Killing of Hamas leader Haniyeh not helpful for ceasefire talks, says Biden

FE Team | Published: August 02, 2024 21:34:43

Thousands of people carrying posters of Haniyeh and Palestinian flags gathered in Tehran for the funeral procession. — Reuters

DOHA, Aug 02 (Agencies): Mourners and supporters bid farewell Friday in Qatar to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh after his killing in Tehran, blamed on Israel, has heightened regional tensions as the Gaza war dragged on.
Thousands of people gathered at the Gulf emirate's largest mosque, where Haniyeh's casket, draped in a Palestinian flag, was taken before leaving again for burial in Lusail, north of Doha.
Haniyeh, the Palestinian armed group's political chief, played a key role in mediated talks aimed at ending nearly 10 months of war between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip.
His killing triggered calls for revenge and raised questions about the continued viability of such negotiations.
Mourners lined up for funeral prayers inside Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque, while others prayed on mats outside in temperatures that reached 44 degrees Celsius (111 degrees Fahrenheit).
The ceremony ended in angry chants, but the short-lived demonstration quickly dispersed.
"He was a symbol, a resistance leader... people are angry," said Taher Adel, 25, a Jordanian student residing in the Qatari capital.
Haniyeh's predecessor Khaled Meshaal spoke at the ceremony, saying the slain leader had "served his cause, his people... and never abandoned them".
Turkey and Pakistan announced a day of mourning on Friday to honour Haniyeh, while Hamas called for a "day of furious rage".
Meanwhile, at least 15 Palestinians were killed during an Israeli bombing of a school sheltering displaced families in the Shujaiya neighborhood of Gaza City on Thursday.
The Israeli airstrike targeted the Dalal Mughrabi school, and the victims included women and children, WAFA said.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden said on Thursday the killing of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh was not helpful for reaching a ceasefire in Israel's war in Gaza.
There has been an increased risk of an escalation into a broader Middle East war after the assassination of Haniyeh in Iran drew threats of retaliation against Israel.
Hamas and Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed the death of Haniyeh, who had participated in internationally-brokered indirect talks on reaching a ceasefire in Gaza.
Anxious residents in Israeli-besieged Gaza feared that Haniyeh's killing on Wednesday would prolong the war.
Iran said the killing took place hours after he attended a swearing-in ceremony for its new president.
"It doesn't help," Biden told reporters late on Thursday, when asked if Haniyeh's assassination ruined the chances for a ceasefire agreement.
Biden also said he had a direct conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier on Thursday.