Hamas calls for day of ‘overwhelming anger’ over Haniyeh killing

Hamas has called on the Arab world to unleash a day of “overwhelming anger” in response to the death of its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh. 

A Hamas statement asked that people pray for Haniyeh in all mosques out of “loyalty to him, his message, and the blood of the martyrs”.

“Let Friday be a day of overwhelming anger in condemnation of the assassination crime and rejection of the genocide in the Gaza Strip,” it added.

Joe Biden has said the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran does not help ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The US president laid out a plan for a ceasefire months ago and negotiators have come close to a deal several times, but never got it over the line. 

“It doesn’t help,” Mr Biden told reporters late last night, when asked if Haniyeh’s assassination ruined the chances for a ceasefire agreement.

Secretary of state Antony Blinken said yesterday the US had no advanced knowledge or involvement in the death of Haniyeh. 

The president also noted the conversation he had with Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday, in which he discussed “new defensive US military deployments”.

A funeral for Ismail Haniyeh will take place in Doha today, before the Hamas leader is buried in the Lusail area.

Haniyeh’s boy arrived in Qatar, where he has lived since 2017, last night, after a lengthy funeral service and procession in Tehran took place yesterday – the site of his assassination earlier this week. 

A high-level delegation from Fatah, Hamas’s bitter rival, will attend the service in Doha.