Thousands mourn Hamas leader Haniyeh in Qatar and world cities
Symbolic funeral prayers for Haniyeh were held in various world capitals, including Jakarta, Istanbul, and Pakistani cities
Muslim Network TV Desk
DOHA, Qatar (MNTV) – Thousands of mourners gathered at Qatar’s largest mosque, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, in Doha to pay their final respects to Ismail Haniyeh, the former political head of Hamas.
Large crowds across cities worldwide also attended funeral services in absentia, honoring Haniyeh’s memory.
Haniyeh was assassinated alongside a bodyguard in a pre-dawn attack on their accommodation in Tehran, conducted by Tel Aviv forces.
He had traveled to Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Following the funeral prayers in Doha, Haniyeh was laid to rest in a cemetery in Lusail, north of the Qatari capital.
The service saw attendance from high-profile dignitaries, including Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Turkey’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, and Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin.
Leaders from Palestinian factions such as Fatah and Islamic Jihad, as well as numerous international representatives, were present at the funeral in Doha.
Iran’s Vice President Mohammad-Reza Aref and former Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla also attended the service.
In Turkiye, flags were lowered to half-mast, and a day of mourning was declared by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in honor of Haniyeh.
Pakistan and Türkiye both announced a day of mourning on Friday, showing their solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Hamas called for a “day of furious rage” to coincide with Haniyeh’s burial.
The funeral prayer for Haniyeh in Tehran was led by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the University of Tehran, where Haniyeh and his bodyguard were laid in state before being flown to Doha.
Symbolic funeral prayers for Haniyeh were held in various world capitals, including Jakarta, Istanbul, and Pakistani cities.
In Islamabad, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif led the funeral prayers in absentia at the Parliament House.
Indonesian Muslims gathered at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, and worshippers performed the funeral prayer in absentia at Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul and in Sanaa, Yemen.
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed concern over the potential escalation of violence in the Middle East, noting that the assassination has hindered efforts to negotiate a cease-fire and the return of prisoners from Gaza.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared that the conflict with Israel has entered a “new phase” following the killings of Fuad Shukr and Haniyeh.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel is “at a very high level of readiness for any scenario.”
In response to the assassination, Iran has initiated an investigation, forming a special committee comprising members of the intelligence forces, the IRGC, and the police.
As the world reacts to the death of Ismail Haniyeh, the impact of his assassination continues to reverberate across the Middle East, signaling potential shifts in regional dynamics and ongoing conflict.
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