Türkiye Declares National Mourning Over Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh
Ankara, The Gulf Observer: Türkiye has declared a day of national mourning in response to the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced.
“To show our support for the Palestinian cause and our solidarity with our Palestinian brothers, a one-day national mourning has been declared tomorrow, Friday, August 2, due to the martyrdom of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh,” Erdogan stated on Thursday.
Erdogan extended his condolences to the Palestinian people, saying, “I remember Ismail Haniyeh and all Palestinian martyrs with mercy and extend my condolences to the Palestinian people on behalf of myself and my nation.”
Haniyeh’s assassination was reported by the Palestinian resistance group and Iran, attributing his death to an Israeli air strike early Wednesday that targeted his residence in Tehran, a day after he attended the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
While Israel has not officially commented on the killing, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested Tel Aviv’s involvement in the assassination.
The incident comes amid ongoing international condemnation of Israel’s military actions in Gaza. Despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire, Israel’s offensive, which began following an October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, continues. Local health authorities report nearly 39,500 Palestinian deaths, predominantly women and children, and over 91,000 injuries.
The conflict has left Gaza devastated, with widespread destruction and a severe blockade restricting access to food, clean water, and medical supplies. The International Court of Justice has accused Israel of genocide and ordered an immediate halt to its military operations in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where over a million Palestinians had taken refuge before it was invaded on May 6.
For more updates on this developing story and international reactions, stay tuned to our coverage.
