The burial ceremony for Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Iran, is currently taking place in Qatar. The funeral prayers for Haniyeh are being held at the Imam Muhammed bin Abdul Wahhab mosque, the largest mosque in Qatar, before he is laid to rest at a cemetery in Lusail, a city north of Doha.
Prominent figures in the Hamas movement, including his predecessor as leader, Khaled Meshaal, gathered at Doha airport as Haniyeh’s coffin arrived from Iran. Haniyeh was killed during his visit to Iran, with Iran and its allies pointing fingers at Israel, although Israel has not claimed responsibility for his death.
Hamas has announced that Arab and Islamic leaders, as well as representatives from other Palestinian factions, will attend the burial ceremony. Turkey and Pakistan have declared a day of mourning in honor of Haniyeh, while Hamas has called for protests following Friday prayers to denounce his killing.
The assassination of Haniyeh comes amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, with recent strikes and retaliations between Israel and Hezbollah. The circumstances surrounding Haniyeh’s death remain unclear, with conflicting reports on how he was killed.
The killing of Haniyeh has left the leadership of Hamas in shock, with conflicting accounts of the incident. The BBC has not been able to independently verify the claims surrounding Haniyeh’s assassination.
