All news

Gaza ceasefire contacts suspended after assassination of Haniyeh — news agency

The Palestinian Hamas movement announced on July 31 that the head of its politburo, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israeli strike on his residence in Tehran, where he was attending the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian

MADRID, August 2. /TASS/. Contacts between Egyptian and Qatari mediators with Israel in connection with ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip have been completely suspended after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the Palestinian movement Hamas, the EFE news agency reported, citing sources in the Egyptian security service.

According to them, "the anger of the Hamas leadership inside and outside the Gaza Strip" as well as the despair of the mediators over Haniyeh's death led to the suspension of the negotiations.

The Palestinian Hamas movement announced on July 31 that the head of its politburo, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israeli strike on his residence in Tehran, where he was attending the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The Al Hadath TV channel reported that Haniyeh was killed in a direct missile hit. Deputy Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau Mousa Abu Marzook has warned that Haniyeh’s assassination will not go unanswered. The Israeli military has not commented on the information about Haniyeh's death.

On July 28, CIA Director William Burns met with representatives of Israel, Egypt and Qatar in Rome to try to reach agreements on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of hostages. On the same day, Mossad head David Barnea returned to Israel, the Prime Minister's office reported that contacts would continue in the coming days. On May 31, US President Joe Biden announced the terms of a new draft agreement for a six-week phased peace settlement in Gaza, which calls for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails.