Türkiye condemns Haniyeh's assassination, urges global action to stop Israel

ANKARA

Türkiye on Wednesday condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran by an Israeli attack and reiterated the need to stop Israel from escalating regional tensions.

“We condemn the murder of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in a heinous assassination in Tehran,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Hamas said Wednesday its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israeli strike in Iran, where he had been attending the inauguration of the country's new president.

"We express our condolences to the Palestinian people who have sacrificed hundreds of thousands of martyrs like Haniyeh in order to live in peace in their homeland under the roof of their own state," the ministry said.

"Once again, it has become clear that the Netanyahu government has no intention of reaching peace," ministry added.

The Foreign Ministry reiterated that Israel's act is intended to escalate the war in Gaza to a regional scale and that unless the international community intervenes to stop Israel, the entire region will face much larger conflicts.

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş also issued a condolence message, condemning the assassination of the Hamas leader.

"Ismail Haniye, the political leader of the Palestinian cause, who has suffered dozens of martyrs from his family, was killed by the heinous attack of the Zionist Israeli administration, enemies of humanity, and mass murderers," said Kurtulmuş.

"I wish patience and condolences to the Palestinian people and all those who are committed to the cause of a free Palestine,” he added.