US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a ceasefire in Gaza was “essential” following the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.
Blinken spoke at a forum in Singapore on Wednesday. His comments came just hours after Haniyeh visited Tehran. Iranian President Masoud Pezechkian At a swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday, Pezeshkian was sworn in amid chants of “Death to America, Israel.”
“I have seen the reports. A ceasefire is more important than anything else. To get things moving in a better direction. We have been working to stop the ceasefire from day one.[this war] “It’s to prevent the spread,” he said.
The Iranian government has not released details about how Haniyeh was killed. The incident is currently under investigation.
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh reportedly assassinated
Iranian President Massoud Pezechkian, right, shakes hands with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at the start of a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (Associated Press)
Responsibility for the assassination was immediately placed on Israel, but as of Wednesday morning no party had claimed responsibility for Haniya’s death.
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“The fact that a senior Hamas official was assassinated inside Iran is an added bonus for Israel, especially since he had just participated in the inauguration of the new Islamic Republic’s president,” Middle East analyst and Foreign Desk editor-in-chief Risa Daftari told Fox News.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said a ceasefire in Gaza was “essential” following the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. (Aspen Security Forum via Reuters)
“This sends a clear message that Israel makes no distinction between the Islamic Republic and its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah,” she added.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Washington sought to de-escalate tensions but would help defend Israel if it was attacked.
Hamas said Haniyeh was killed “in a Zionist airstrike at his home in Tehran after taking part in the inauguration of Iran’s new president.”
Hamas declared Ismail Haniyeh a “martyr.”
“Hamas proclaims to the great Palestinian nation, to the Arab and Islamic peoples and to all free peoples of the world that our brother leader Ismail Haniyeh is a martyr,” the statement said.
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Haniyeh left Gaza five years ago and has been living in exile in Qatar. The current Hamas leader in Gaza is Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 terror attack on Israel, who is still alive.
Fox News’ Landon Mion and Reuters contributed to this report.
