The assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in an airstrike in the Iranian capital, Tehran, on Wednesday has drawn a wave of condemnations from across the Arab world.
Arab countries warned against a regional spillover from the killing, which Hamas blamed on Israel. Tel Aviv has not yet confirmed or denied its involvement.
Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of new Iranian President Masoud Pezhkishan.
Qatar‘s Foreign Ministry called Haniyeh’s assassination “a heinous crime, a dangerous escalation, and a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law.”
“This assassination and reckless targeting of civilians will lead the region into chaos and undermine the chances of peace,” it added in a statement.
Egypt condemned Israel’s policy of escalation and warned of the “repercussions of assassination policies, violations of sovereignty of other countries, and the fueling of conflict in the region.”
It said the assassination coincided with a lack of progress in negotiations to reach a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.
“This complicates the situation and shows the absence of Israeli political will for de-escalation and undermines the strenuous efforts of Egypt and its partners to stop the Gaza war,” the Egyptian Foreign Ministry added in a statement.
Similarly, Oman expressed its strong condemnation of Haniyeh’s assassination, calling it a “blatant violation of international and humanitarian law and a clear undermining of efforts to achieve peace and stability in the region,” according to state news agency ONA.
Jordan‘s Foreign Ministry accused Israel of being behind the assassination, saying it represents “a violation of international law and humanitarian law, and an escalatory crime that will lead to more tension and chaos in the region.”
Iraq called Haniyeh’s assassination “an aggressive act, a flagrant violation of international laws and a threat to security and stability in the region.”
In Lebanon, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned Haniyeh’s killing as “a serious danger that expands the circle of global concern and risk in the region.”
Hezbollah mourned Haniyeh, describing him as one of “the great resistance leaders of our time, who stood with great courage against the American hegemony and the Zionist occupation.”
Yemen‘s Houthi group denounced Haniyeh’s assassination as a “terrorist crime and a serious escalation,” and held Israel responsible for it.
Haniyeh was re-elected as head of the Hamas political bureau in 2021 for a second consecutive term, which was slated to end in 2025.
His killing came as Israel continued its devastating military campaign in the Gaza Strip that killed more than 39,400 and injured over 91,000 since Oct. 7, 2023 following a Hamas attack.
