Calls Haniyeh's Murder An Effort To Weaken Palestinian Struggle, President Erdogan Recalls Two Hamas Founders

President Recep Tayyip Erdobulan received the Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh at the Dolmabatawase Presidential Office, Istanbul. (Source: Presidency of The Republic of Turkiye)

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recalled the two founders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, when he condemned the murder of Ismail Haniyeh.

President Erdogan expressed his condolences to Palestine and the Haniyeh family, condemning the killing of the Hamas Political Bureau Chief.

"This killing aims to weaken Gaza's noble resistance and the true struggle of the Palestinian people," Erdoyan said in a statement on X, recalling similar attacks on several other Palestinian politicians, including two founders of Hamas, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, both Hamas founders, quoted from Daily Sabah 1 August.

Palestinian militant group Hamas confirmed Haniyeh died at his residence in Tehran with a bodyguard on Wednesday morning. He is in Iran's capital to attend the inauguration of the elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

Before he died, he met Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Pezeshkian before the inauguration.

Israel has not commented on the death, but many countries have warned it will have a major impact on efforts to carry out a ceasefire in the Gaza war.

Ankara, who maintained good relations with Hamas, in a statement accused Israel of wanting to expand the war in Gaza throughout the region. President Erdogan met Haniyeh in Istanbul in April.

He said the "stronger" stance by the Muslim world and the humanitarian alliance would end Israel's "terror and genocide in Gaza and terrorism in our territory."

"Turkey will continue to try every route, pushing every door and supporting Palestine at all our means," President Erdogan added, reaffirming Ankara's commitment to the sovereign and independent Palestinian state to the 1967 border and East Jerusalem as its capital.

Haniyeh's funeral was held in Tehran this morning. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will lead the Body Prayers at Tehran University, before the official ceremony is held. Tomorrow, Haniyeh's body will be buried in Doha Qatar.