From Iran’s vow to ‘avenge’ to US stating its ‘non-involvement’: How world reacted to Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination

Here’s a round up of the international response till now:

Hamas: Hamas mourned Haniyeh, denouncing his death as a result of a “treacherous Zionist raid” in Tehran, following his attendance at the Iranian president’s inauguration. As per The Guardian, Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned the assassination as a “grave escalation” intended to undermine Hamas and the Palestinian people, asserting it would fail to achieve its goals. Al-Aqsa TV echoed this sentiment, calling it a “cowardly act that will not go unpunished.”

As per Al-Jazeera, which has posted a full copy of Hamas’ statement on Haniyeh’s assassination. Here it is:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful (And do not think that those who are killed in the way of Allah are dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision.) The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas mourns to our great Palestinian people, to the Arab and Islamic nation, and to all the free people of the world: Brother, leader, martyr, Mujahid Ismail Haniyeh. The head of the movement, who was killed in a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran, after participating in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president. To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. And it is a jihad, victory or martyrdom.”

Iran: Iran’s response has been mixed. First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref, as per Iran’s state media, stated there was no intention to escalate the conflict, contrasting sharply with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s declaration that avenging Haniyeh’s death is “Tehran’s duty”. The Revolutionary Guards in a statement promised a “harsh and painful response,” while President Masoud Pezeshkian  in his statement as per Iranian media, vowed to defend Iran’s integrity and make “terrorist occupiers” regret their actions.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meets with Palestinian group Hamas’ top leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran, Iran, July 30, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

According to Iran’s Mehr news agency, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kan’ani described the killing as a strengthening factor for Iran’s bond with Palestine and the Resistance. Later, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that Iran emphasises that the “United States bears responsibility” in the assassination of Hamas leader in Tehran because of its support for Israel.

Israel: Israel has yet to officially comment, with government spokesman declining to comment on the death. “We are not commenting on that particular incident,” spokesman David Mencer told a briefing with journalists, as per Reuters. However, several Israeli ministers reacted to Haniyeh’s death. Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu in a post on X, celebrated the killing, calling it a step towards “cleaning the world from this filth.” Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s message, “Yes, all your enemies will perish, O God,” was later deleted from X. Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli shared a video of Haniyeh on X with the caption “Careful What You Wish For”.

Palestinian Authority: President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the killing as a “cowardly act and dangerous development”, urging Palestinians to unite and resist the Israeli occupation, Palestinian state news agency Wafa reported as per a report by Al Jazeera.

Hezbollah: Hezbollah expressed condolences but did not directly accuse Israel, suggesting that the assassination would bolster Iran-aligned groups’ resolve against Israel, as per The Guardian.

The Houthis: Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of Yemen’s Houthi Supreme Revolutionary Committee, labelled the killing as a “heinous terrorist crime” and a “flagrant violation of laws and ideal values”.

The US: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Wednesday that the US was neither involved in nor aware of the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh. “This is something we were not aware of or involved in. It’s very hard to speculate,” Blinken said in an interview with Channel News Asia during a visit to Singapore.

He also emphasised the need for a ceasefire in Gaza, noting, “It is profoundly in the interest of trying to put things on a better path, not only in Gaza, but actually throughout the region because so much is tied to what’s happening in Gaza right now.”

Russia: Russia warned that the Middle East is on the brink of major conflict, condemning the killing as an “absolutely unacceptable political assassination” that could escalate tensions and impact Gaza ceasefire talks.

Egypt: Egypt in a statement from the foreign ministry, criticised the escalation, pointing to Israel’s lack of political will for de-escalation and the ongoing deadlock in Gaza ceasefire talks.

Qatar: Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani warned that the killing could jeopardise ceasefire negotiations, condemning it as a “heinous crime” and a “dangerous escalation”.

“Political assassinations and continued targeting of civilians in Gaza while talks continue leads us to ask, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on other side?” Prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani wrote on X.

The foreign ministry described it as a “flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law.”

Jordan: Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi condemned Haniyeh’s assassination, warning of the potential for increased regional conflict due to Israeli actions and the lack of international intervention.

“Israel’s continuation of its aggression against Gaza, its violation of the rights of the Palestinian people, and its crimes against them, and without international action to curb its aggression, will drag the region towards more wars and destruction,” he wrote in a post on X.

Turkey: Turkey condemned the assassination, with the foreign ministry accusing Israel of aiming to extend the Gaza conflict regionally. Turkish Foreign Ministry, while offering condolences, said: “It has been revealed once again that the Netanyahu Government has no intention of achieving peace. This attack also aims to spread the war in Gaza to a regional level. If the international community does not take action to stop Israel, our region will face much greater conflicts.”

China: The Chinese foreign ministry expressed concern that the incident could lead to further regional instability.

Europe: European leaders have not yet publicly reacted, but as per a report by The Guardian, a senior EU official cautioned that the assassination demonstrates Israel’s intent to neutralise Hamas as a threat, raising risks of further escalation and urging global powers to intensify efforts to avoid an all-out war.

Meanwhile, Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders welcomed the assassination, “Good Riddance!!” the leader of the Party for Freedom wrote on social media, using it as an opportunity to criticise Iran’s supreme leader and Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah.