Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Laid To Rest In Qatar Amid Rising Tensions

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, assassinated in Iran on Wednesday, was buried in Qatar following a Muslim funeral ceremony. The service took place at the Imam Muhammed bin Abdul Wahhab mosque in Doha, the largest mosque in the country. Haniyeh’s coffin, draped in the Palestinian flag, was then transported to a cemetery in Lusail, north of the capital.

The funeral was attended by several foreign dignitaries, including Turkey’s Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. High-profile figures from both Hamas and its Palestinian rival Fatah, along with members of the public, were present at the ceremony.

The assassination occurred during Haniyeh’s visit to Tehran, where Iran and its allies have blamed Israel, though Israel has not claimed responsibility. Following the killing, Turkey and Pakistan declared a day of mourning, and Hamas has called for widespread protests after Friday prayers.

A separate funeral ceremony was held in Tehran, led by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who vowed severe retaliation against Israel for the assassination.

Haniyeh, who had been based in Doha since 2019, played a significant role in negotiations for a potential ceasefire in Gaza. His burial marks a significant moment in a week of escalating Middle Eastern tensions, which also saw a deadly strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, further straining regional relations.