Middle East updates: Haniyeh to be buried in Qatar

Deutsche Welle

02 Aug 2024, 19:26

Photo: Iranian Leader Press OfficeAnadolu/picture alliance

The slain leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, will be buried in a cemetery north of the Qatari capital, Doha. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden says Washington is committed to defending Israel.

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Biden 'concerned' over Haniyeh killing
US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would not help the path to achieving a cease-fire in Gaza.

Haniyeh's killing on Wednesday took place hours after he attended a swearing-in ceremony for Iran's new president, Iranian authorities said.

On being asked if Haniyeh's assassination ruined the chances for a cease-fire agreement, Biden said, "It doesn't help."

"I'm very concerned about it," the US president added.

Biden said he had a "very direct" conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day.

"We have the basis for a cease-fire. He should move on it and they should move on it now."

Israel has neither denied nor confirmed its involvement in the killing, but Netanyahu mentioned recent crushing blows to Iran's proxies, including Hamas and Lebanon-based Hezbollah.

On Tuesday, Israeli forces said that they had killed Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Lebanon's capital Beirut.

Australia says serious IDF failures led to aid workers' deaths
An Australian government review of the deaths of aid workers in Gaza has found serious lapses in procedures by the Israeli military, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said.

Israeli air strikes in April killed seven aid workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK) in Gaza, drawing widespread condemnation from the United States and several other countries.

The dead included citizens of Australia, Britain, and Poland, as well as Palestinians and a dual US-Canadian national.

An Australian review into the deaths found serious failures to follow Israel Defense Forces (IDF) procedures, mistaken identification, and errors in decision-making.

"Based on the information available to me, I assess that the IDF strike on the WCK aid workers was not knowingly or deliberately directed against the WCK," according to Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, who traveled to Israel to investigate the deaths.

Wong said Australia would push for full accountability for those responsible, including criminal charges if appropriate.

The IDF has called the incident a serious mistake that should not have happened.

Haniyeh to be buried in Qatar
Qatar will hold funeral ceremonies on Friday for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Iran.

Haniyeh had been living in the Qatari capital of Doha with other members of the Hamas political office.

He will be buried in a cemetery in Lusail, north of Doha, after funeral prayers at Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque, the largest mosque in the country.

Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and Germany, among others, said the events would be attended by "Arab and Islamic leaders" as well as representatives of other Palestinian factions and members of the public.

Haniyeh and a bodyguard were killed in the pre-dawn attack on their accommodations in Tehran early Wednesday, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said. He had traveled to Iran to attend the swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.

Israel, blamed by Hamas, Iran, and others for the attack, has not directly commented.

Biden says the US committed to defending Israel against Iran
US President Joe Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday that the United States is committed to defending Israel's security "against all threats from Iran," the White House said.

The call came after the killing of a top Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran and after Israel announced it had killed Hezbollah military commander Fouad Shukr in Beirut.

Iran and Hezbollah have both said they would retaliate against Israel.

Biden, who was joined on the call by Vice President Kamala Harris, also "emphasized ongoing efforts to de-escalate broader tensions in the region," the White House said in a statement.

Biden "reaffirmed his commitment to Israel's security against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis," the White House said in a readout of the president's call with Netanyahu.

"The president discussed efforts to support Israel's defense against threats, including ballistic missiles and drones, including new defensive US military deployments," it said.

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