FALCON POWERS – The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, affirmed that “the approach of political assassinations and escalation in Gaza raises questions about how to conduct negotiations when one party kills the one it negotiates with.”
This came in a post on the “X” platform by the Prime Minister of Qatar, who has been leading, for months, a mediation effort with Egypt and the United States to discuss a ceasefire in the ongoing devastating Israeli war on the Gaza Strip for 10 months.
This position comes after Hamas and Iran announced the assassination of the head of the Hamas political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, in an Israeli airstrike that targeted his residence in Tehran, on the eve of his participation in the inauguration ceremony of the new President Massoud Barzani.
The Qatari official said that “the approach of political assassinations and the intentional escalation against civilians in Gaza at every stage of the negotiations raises the question: How can negotiations take place in which one party kills the one it negotiates with at the same time?”
He added that “regional and international peace needs serious partners and an international position against escalation and disregard for the lives of the peoples of the region.”
For months, mediation efforts led by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have been trying to reach an agreement between Israel and the Hamas movement that guarantees the exchange of prisoners from both sides and a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as ensuring the entry of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory.
However, the mediation efforts were obstructed due to the refusal of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to respond to Hamas’ demands to stop the war.
Early on Wednesday, Hamas announced the assassination of Haniyeh following “a despicable Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran, after his participation yesterday, Tuesday, in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president.”
The Iranian state television also reported the assassination of Haniyeh in Tehran, explaining that “the investigation into the assassination is ongoing and the results will be announced soon.”
While the Israeli army refrained from commenting on Haniyeh’s assassination, saying to the Anadolu Agency correspondent: “We do not comment on these reports.”
