Palestinian President Abbas Calls Ismail Haniyeh's Murder To Extend War And Negative Impact

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Wikimedia Commons/men's

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was meant to prolong the conflict in Gaza, the impact would complicate talks to resolve the crisis.

"There is no doubt that the purpose of Haniyeh's assassination was to extend the war and expand its scope," President Abbas told RIA in a statement published on Tuesday.

"This will have a negative impact on ongoing negotiations to end the aggression and withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza," President Abbas continued.

Condemning Haniyeh's murder as a coward, President Abbas asked Israel to stop its aggressive actions and comply with international law.

"We consider this a act of coward and dangerous development in Israeli politics," said President Abbas.

"Israel's occupation authorities are asked to abandon their ambitions and stop their aggressive actions against our people and our struggles, to comply with international law and implement the Arab Peace Initiative, as well as a ceasefire and withdraw from the Gaza Strip," he said.

It is known that the head of the Political Bureau of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh was confirmed by the group to have been killed in an attack on his place of stay in Tehran, Iran Wednesday morning last week.

Haniyeh was in Tehran to take part in the inauguration of the elected president Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday afternoon. Previously, he had met Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Pezeshkian on separate occasions before the inauguration.