President Jokowi Condemns Assassination of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: President Joko Widodo, commonly known as Jokowi, has strongly condemned the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian resistance organization Hamas. The attack, carried out by Israel, has been described by President Jokowi as an intolerable act of violence.

“This is an act of violence, a murder that cannot be tolerated. Moreover, this happened in the territory of Iran,” President Jokowi stated after attending the opening of the 2024 Indonesian Digital Finance Economic Festival (FEKDI) and Indonesia Creative Work (KKI) exhibition in Jakarta on Thursday.

The president expressed his belief that the international community stands united against such violent actions. “I think everyone, including Indonesia, strongly condemns that violent and murderous conduct,” he asserted.

Hamas confirmed the death of Haniyeh following an Israeli attack on his residence in Tehran, Iran, on Wednesday, July 31. In a statement on Telegram, the organization conveyed its condolences for the loss of Haniyeh, who was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Masoud Pezeshkian as the new president of Iran.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has labeled the assassination a “cowardly and dangerous” act by Israel. The incident has prompted swift condemnation from countries around the globe, including Indonesia.

The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry, in a social media post on Wednesday, stated, “The killing constitutes a provocation that could escalate conflicts in the region and derail ongoing negotiations.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also condemned the assassination, describing it as a “despicable attempt to undermine the Palestinian cause.” Meanwhile, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Mikhail Bogdanov criticized the attack as unacceptable and warned it could lead to further escalation in the region.