Funeral of Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions

Funeral of Ismail Haniyeh Draws Thousands in Qatar Amid Rising Tensions

Thousands of mourners gathered in Qatar’s largest mosque on Friday to pay their respects at the funeral of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas. This event comes just hours after President Biden expressed concerns that Haniyeh’s assassination could jeopardize ongoing efforts to negotiate a cease-fire in Gaza.

Haniyeh, who had been residing in the Persian Gulf nation, played a critical role as a negotiator in the delicate cease-fire discussions between Israel and Hamas. His death, resulting from an explosion in Iran on Wednesday, alongside the assassination of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon on Tuesday, has heightened tensions across the Middle East. The region is now bracing for potential retaliatory violence.

When asked by a reporter on Thursday night whether the killing of Haniyeh had undermined the prospects for a negotiated cease-fire, President Biden candidly responded, “It has not helped.” He revealed that he had a “very direct” conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier that day, urging him to consider an agreement that would halt the conflict in Gaza and facilitate the release of hostages taken during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7.

Biden emphasized, “We have the basis for a cease-fire. They should move on it now.” In response, Netanyahu’s office announced on Friday that an Israeli delegation is set to travel to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, on Saturday or Sunday to engage in negotiations focusing on a cease-fire in Gaza and a potential hostage release.

Furthermore, Netanyahu indicated that Israel is bracing itself for possible retaliatory actions. He stated, “Israel is in very high readiness for any scenario — both defensively and offensively.” He added, “We will impose a very heavy price for any act of aggression against us from any front.”