Russia condemns assassination of Hamas leader, warns of regional consequences

Moscow has strongly condemned the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, chief of the political bureau of the Palestinian Hamas movement.

"We strongly condemn the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh... as a result of a missile attack on his residence in Tehran," Caliber.Az reports via Russian Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Andrey Nastasyin's news briefing.

He emphasized that the organizers of this assassination were fully aware of the potential dangers it poses to the entire region.

Nastasyin noted the significance of the timing, as the attack occurred while Haniyeh was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian.

He warned that Haniyeh’s death could have a severe impact on indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel regarding a ceasefire in Gaza.

"Once again, we urge all parties involved to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could lead to a dramatic deterioration of security in the region and provoke a large-scale armed conflict," Nastasyin added.

Earlier, Hamas announced that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli missile strike on his Tehran residence. The Al Hadath TV channel reported that the strike directly targeted Haniyeh. Hamas's deputy chief, Musa Abu Marzook, vowed retaliation.

Israel has not officially commented on the incident, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has reportedly instructed cabinet members to refrain from doing so.

Haniyeh, a key figure in Hamas since 2004, led the movement's political bureau since 2017 and played a significant role in negotiations on Palestinian issues and the Gaza conflict.