WASHINGTON — President Biden stated on Thursday that the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, a leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, was not conducive to achieving a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Hamas and Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh’s death. He had been involved in internationally brokered indirect talks aimed at securing a ceasefire. According to Iran, Haniyeh was killed shortly after attending the swearing-in ceremony of its new president.
“It doesn’t help,” Biden remarked to reporters when asked if Haniyeh’s assassination diminished the prospects for a ceasefire agreement.
The assassination has heightened fears of a broader conflict in the Middle East, as threats of retaliation against Israel have surfaced following Haniyeh’s death in Iran.
