Hamas has described the killing of its political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, as a grave escalation that will not go unanswered. His assassination in Iran overnight will be perceived as a serious blow to efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, as talks mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt stagger forward after months of negotiations.
The group called Haniyeh’s death in what it described as a raid on his Tehran residence “treacherous”. The Qassam brigades, Hamas’ armed wing, said it was “a critical and dangerous event that takes the battle to new dimensions, and will have major repercussions on the entire region”.
