Khaled Meshaal Was Present At The Funeral
Khaled Meshaal was among those who attended the funeral in a large mosque just north of the capital Doha.
Significantly, Khaled is tipped to be the new Hamas leader.
Other senior Hamas officials and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani also attended the funeral.
Burial In Lusail, North Of Doha
He will be buried in a cemetery in the city of Lusail, north of Doha.
Haniyeh’s Coffin Was Draped In The Palestinian Flag
Haniyeh’s coffin, draped in the Palestinian flag, was carried across the mosque past hundreds of people, along with the coffin of his bodyguard.
His bodyguard was killed in the same attack in Tehran.
The Blood Of Haniyeh Will Change All Equations: Senior Hamas Official Sami Abu Zuhri
Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri who attended the funeral, spoke to Reuters, over the phone.
He said, “Our message to the occupation (Israel) today is that you are sinking deep in the mud and your end is getting closer than ever.”
He further said, “The blood of Haniyeh will change all equations.”
Senior Hamas Official Khali Al-Hayya Describes How Haniyeh Was Killed
Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official said that Haniyeh was killed by a missile that hit him directly in a state guesthouse in Tehran where he was staying.
In addition, he quoted witnesses who were with Haniyeh, when he was attacked.
Iran And Hamas Have Accused Israel Of Carrying Out The Killing
Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the killing and have pledged to retaliate against their foe.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for the death nor denied it.
Biden Says Haniyeh’s Killing Has Not Helped International Efforts For A Ceasefire
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden said Haniyeh’s killing has not helped international efforts to secure a ceasefire in the war in Gaza.
The war is is now in its tenth month.
“It doesn’t help,” Biden told reporters on Thursday, when asked if the action ruined the chances of a truce.
Qatar Has been Leading The Peace Effort
Qatar has been leading the peace effort along with Egypt and the United States, Israel’s main ally.
Many Diplomats Saw Haniyeh As Moderate
Many diplomats saw him as a moderate compared to the more hardline members of the Iran-backed group inside Gaza.
Haniyeh had been the face of Hamas‘s international diplomacy as war raged back in Gaza and had taken part in the indirect ceasefire talks.
When Was Haniyeh Appointed to The Hamas Top Job?
Haniyeh was appointed to the Hamas top job in 2017.
He moved between Turkey and Doha, escaping the travel curbs of the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Haniyeh’s Widow Attends Funeral Ceremony
Iran held its own funeral ceremony for Haniyeh on Thursday which was attended by his widow Amal.
Amal’s Message
Amal Haniyeh said, “Say hello to all the martyrs of Gaza, say hello to the leaders, to all Gaza’s martyrs, all the Muslims.”
Hamas Politburo Member Calls On People To Pray
Hamas politburo member Izzat al-Rishq called on people to pray for his soul in all mosques around the world.
What Israel Has Said?
Israel has not said it carried out the killing.
At the same time, Israel said that an airstrike it mounted last month killed the elusive Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif in Gaza.
Hamas has not confirmed nor denied the death of Deif.
Hezbollah Confirms The Killing Of Its Senior Military Commander
Hezbollah confirmed that its senior military commander Fuad Shukr had been killed in an Israeli strike on a building in Beirut.
Notably, Hezbollah vowed a “definite” response to Shukr’s killing.
Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, in a televised address to mark the funeral, said, “We are looking for a real response, not a performative response.”
