Haniyeh to be buried in Qatar
The slain leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, will be buried in a cemetery north of the Qatari capital, Doha. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden says Washington is committed to defend Israel.
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DW reports that Qatar will hold funeral ceremonies on Friday for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Iran.
Haniyeh had been living in the Qatari capital of Doha with other members of the Hamas political office.
He will be buried in a cemetery in Lusail, north of Doha, after funeral prayers at Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque, the largest mosque in the country.
Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States and Germany, among others, said the events would be attended by "Arab and Islamic leaders" as well as representatives of other Palestinian factions and members of the public.
Haniyeh and a bodyguard were killed in the pre-dawn attack on their accommodations in Tehran early Wednesday, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said. He had traveled to Iran to attend the swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.
Israel, blamed by Hamas, Iran and others for the attack, has not directly commented.
Biden 'concerned' over Haniyeh killing
US President Joe Biden said on Thursday that the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh would not help the path to achieving a cease-fire in Gaza.
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Haniyeh's killing on Wednesday took place hours after he attended a swearing-in ceremony for Iran's new president, Iranian authorities said.
On being asked if Haniyeh's assassination ruined the chances for a cease-fire agreement, Biden said, "It doesn't help."
"I'm very concerned about it," the US president added.
Biden said he had a "very direct" conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier in the day.
"We have the basis for a cease-fire. He should move on it and they should move on it now."
Israel has neither denied nor confirmed its involvement in the killing, but Netanyahu mentioned recent crushing blows to Iran's proxies, including Hamas and Lebanon-based Hezbollah.
On Tuesday, Israeli forces said that they had killed Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in Lebanon's capital Beirut.
Source: DW