People carry the coffin of Ismail Haniyeh during his funeral ceremony at the Tehran University campus, in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024.
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The plane carrying the remains of the slain Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh arrived Thursday in the Qatari capital of Doha from Iran and will be buried Friday, according to Qatari media.
A funeral was held early Thursday in the Iranian capital of Tehran with a large number of mourners and officials participating, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, said media reports.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed revenge against Israel.
Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, stressed that the IDF is ready for any situation, whether it be defensive or offensive.
When questioned about Israel’s alleged involvement in the death of Ismail Haniyeh, Hagari clarified that Israeli aircraft did not conduct any additional strikes in the entire Middle East following the incident in Beirut, when Haniyeh was killed in Tehran.
Israeli hostage families and their allies commemorated 300 days since the 115 hostages in Gaza were abducted.
They rallied around the Defence Ministry, urging for a prompt cease-fire agreement to secure the return of their relatives.
The demonstration took place several hours following the Israeli military’s confirmation of the death of Hamas’ military leader, Mohammed Deif, in a Gaza airstrike last July.
The announcement came after an Israeli strike in Tehran killed Hamas’ top political leader, causing U.S., Egyptian, and Qatari mediators to work urgently to save cease-fire negotiations in Gaza.
International diplomats worked to prevent a full-scale regional war following the assassination of Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Israel’s strike on a top Hezbollah commander in Beirut, and Israel’s recent announcement of Deif’s death.
The removal of Haniyeh and Deif, two top Hamas leaders, is a win for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. It leaves him facing a decision point.
This could offer him a way out politically to stop the conflict, stepping back from his strong claims of “complete victory” and proving to Israelis that Hamas’ military strength has been weakened.
It might also push him to take a tougher stance in negotiations for a cease-fire, as Israeli authorities argue that the hits on Hamas will push the group to make concessions.
Hamas, on the other hand, might also stand firm in the discussions or walk away from them altogether.
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