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This is an archive article published on August 2, 2024
Slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s funeral held in Qatar
On Friday, thousands gathered at Doha's Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul al-Wahhab Mosque for ritual prayers before Haniyeh's burial in a cemetery in Lusail, a city north of the Qatari capital.
People attend the funeral of assassinated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh at Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque, on the day of his burial, in Doha, Qatar, August 2, 2024, in this screengrab taken from video. Qatar TV via REUTERS
Funeral ceremonies for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh were held in Qatar on Friday, with additional commemorations taking place in Turkey, Lebanon, Yemen, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Thousands gathered at Doha’s Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul al-Wahhab Mosque for ritual prayers before the Hamas leader’s burial in a cemetery in Lusail, a city north of the Qatari capital. Hamas politburo member Izzat al-Rishq has called on people to pray for Haniyeh’s soul in all mosques around the world.
Representatives from other Palestinian factions and the public attended the ceremonies in Doha, where he had lived with members of Hamas’s political office. His family was present at the funeral, which was conducted under strict security at Qatar’s national mosque.
With the bodies of Haniyeh and his bodyguard laid in coffins draped with Palestinian flags, mourners knelt and prayed. Senior leaders from Hamas’s Qatar-based political office paid their respects to Haniyeh’s family.
Probable successors
Among those present were two figures considered potential successors: Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official and head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and former Hamas Chief Khaled Mashaal, a close aide to Haniyeh.
Al-Hayya remarked to the family that Haniyeh was “no better or dearer” than the children killed in Gaza. He expressed confidence, stating, “We are sure that his blood will bring out victory, dignity and liberation.”
This video grab shows Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s coffin being carried out after the funeral prayers in Doha, Qatar, Friday Aug. 2, 2024. (Qatar TV via AP)
Haniyeh and a bodyguard were killed in a pre-dawn attack on their accommodation in Tehran early Wednesday, according to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Haniyeh had traveled to Iran to attend the swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.
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Israel’s stance
Israel has not commented on the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. However, following the October 7 incursion into southern Israel by the group, which resulted in 1,139 deaths, Israeli officials had vowed to target Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders in their efforts to dismantle the group.
Haniyeh’s killing, which Hamas, Iran, and others have attributed to Israel, occurred shortly after Israeli forces struck a southern suburb of Beirut, resulting in the death of Fuad Shukr, the military commander of Hezbollah. Israel has claimed responsibility for this attack.
In response to Haniyeh’s assassination, Hamas has called for a “day of furious rage” to coincide with his burial, urging “roaring anger marches” from every mosque after Friday prayers to protest against the killing and Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza, which has claimed nearly 40,000 lives since October 7.
Commemorations in Iran, Turkey and Pakistan
On Thursday, Tehran witnessed large crowds of mourners paying their respects during a public funeral ceremony for Haniyeh. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, led the prayers and had previously threatened “harsh punishment” in response to Haniyeh’s killing.
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This video grab shows senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya, center, praying near the coffin of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard during the funeral prayers in Doha, Qatar, Friday Aug. 2, 2024. (Qatar TV via AP)
Turkey and Pakistan have declared a day of mourning in honour of Haniyeh. Thousands gathered at the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul for Friday prayers to pay their respects. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was scheduled to address the event but cancelled his visit at the last minute.
Meanwhile, the leader of Hezbollah declared that the group’s conflict with Israel had entered “a new phase” following the recent assassinations of a senior commander and Hamas’s political chief. In a televised address to approximately 1,000 mourners at the Beirut funeral of Hezbollah’s second-in-command, Fuad Shukur, Hassan Nasrallah promised that the Shia militia would seek revenge. “The enemy, and those who are behind the enemy, must await our inevitable response … You do not know what red lines you crossed,” he stated, referring to Israel and its major ally, the US.
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