Gaza live: Israel strike kills 30 Palestinians, mostly children

Qatar's prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani, has accused Israel of targeting the Palestinian negotiating team for a ceasefire, raising concerns about the viability of peace talks.

"The approach of political assassinations and intentional escalation against civilians in Gaza at every stage of the negotiation prompts the question: How can negotiations take place in which one party kills its negotiator at the same time? Regional and international peace needs serious partners and an international stance against escalation and disregard for the lives of the peoples of the region," said Al Thani. 

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei issued a statement following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, in which he vowed "harsh punishment" for Israel.

Here is his complete statement:

“The brave and prominent Palestinian leader Ismail Haniyeh passed away at dawn last night, and the great resistance front is in mourning. The criminal and terrorist Zionist regime killed our esteemed guest in our home and has made us mournful, but it has also set the stage for its own severe retribution.

Martyr Haniyeh devoted many years to honourable struggle, ready for martyrdom, and he sacrificed his children and people for this cause. He faced the possibility of martyrdom with courage, and it is now our duty to avenge his blood for this grievous act that occurred on the soil of the Islamic Republic.

I extend my condolences to the Islamic ummah [community], the resistance front, the brave and proud nation of Palestine, and especially to the family and loved ones of martyr Haniyeh and his companion who was martyred with him. I pray to God Almighty to elevate their ranks."

The Afghan government has also issued a statement regarding the assassination of Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.

"The martyrdom of Ismail Haniyeh is a significant loss for the Islamic nation, and his assassination is a crime," the statement said.

The son of Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh, Abdul Salam Haniyeh, said his father’s killing will not end Palestinians’ resistance against Israel.

“My father survived four assassination attempts during his patriotic journey, and today Allah has granted him the martyrdom that he always wished for,” the younger Haniyeh said.

“He was very keen to establish national unity and strived for the unity of all Palestinian factions and we affirm that this assassination will not deter the resistance, which will fight until freedom is achieved,” he added.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has issued a statement following the assassination of Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

"I strongly condemn the treacherous assassination of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran," Erdogan said, according to the Anadolu news agency.

The Turkish foreign ministry also condemned the "heinous" assassination. It stated that Haniyeh's killing "once again shows that Israel’s Netanyahu government has no intention of achieving peace" and warned that the "region will face much larger conflicts if the international community does not intervene to stop Israel".

Jordan has condemned the assassination of Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

"Jordan condemns in the strongest terms Israel’s assassination of the head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement in Palestine (Hamas), Ismail Haniyeh, may God have mercy on him, in the Iranian capital, Tehran, in violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and an escalator crime that will push towards more tension and chaos in the region," the foreign ministry said in a statement on X. 

The newly sworn in Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued a statement saying Tehran will defend its territorial integrity following an Israeli strike that killed the Hamas' political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

Here’s the statement released by the state media:

“Today, dear Iran is mourning its sharer of sorrows and joys, the constant and proud companion of the path of resistance, the brave leader of the Palestinian resistance, the martyr of al-Quds, Haj Ismail Haniyeh. Yesterday I raised his victorious hand and today I have to bury him on my shoulders.

"Martyrdom is the art of men of God. The bond between the two proud nations of Iran and Palestine will be stronger than before, and the path of resistance and defence of the oppressed will be followed stronger than ever.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its territorial integrity, honour, dignity and pride, and make the terrorist occupiers regret their cowardly action."

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Ansar Allah political bureau, has described the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh as a “heinous terrorist crime” and “a flagrant violation of laws and moral values.”

As supporters of the Palestinian cause, Houthi fighters in Yemen have been targeting shipping linked to Israel in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden for months following Israel's onslaught in Gaza.

The Houthis have stated that their campaign will cease when Israel ends its war on Gaza.

Israel has assassinated several Hamas leaders over the last 25 years:

• January 1996: Israel assassinated Hamas military leader Yahya Ayyash in Gaza’s Beit Lahiya
• March 2004: Hamas spiritual leader and founder Sheikh Ahmed Yasin was killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza
• April 2004: Yasin’s successor and Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi was killed by Israeli helicopter missile strike in Gaza City
• January 2024: Senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri was killed in an Israeli drone strike in Beirut 
• July 2024: Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’s political chief, assassinated in Iran’s capital, Tehran

The Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement expressing strong opposition and condemnation of the assassination of Hamas' political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. 

Qatar strongly condemned the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.

The ministry said the killing of Haniyeh was a "heinous crime, a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law."

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stresses that this assassination and the reckless Israeli behaviour in continuously targeting civilians in Gaza will lead to the region slipping into chaos and undermine the chances of peace," it added. 

The Lebanese group Hezbollah stated that "the martyrdom of commander Ismail Haniyeh will enhance the resolve and determination of resistance fighters across all arenas to continue the struggle."

The organisation added that "Haniyeh was one of the great resistance leaders who bravely opposed American hegemony and the Zionist occupation."

Hezbollah has issued its first statement regarding Israel's assassination attempt of one of the group's top military commanders, Fuad Shukr, last night.

The statement confirms that Shukr was in the building in Beirut when it was hit but does not confirm his death.

It notes that civil defence teams are working "diligently but slowly" to clear the rubble and that they are still awaiting information about Shukr's fate and the condition of other civilians. 

Earlier, Israel claimed to have killed the Hezbollah commander, but sources from the Lebanese armed group claim he had survived.

More details are emerging about the final moments of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau, before his assassination in Tehran.

According to the Iranian News Agency, Haniyeh was killed around 2 a.m. local time while staying at a private facility for war veterans in Tehran.

The Fars News Agency reported that his residence, located north of the Iranian capital, was targeted in the attack

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has stated that Ismail Haniyeh’s "blood will not be wasted in vain" following the Hamas leader's assassination in Tehran.

According to Iranian state media, the spokesman Nasser Kanaani said, "Haniyeh’s martyrdom in Tehran will strengthen the deep and unbreakable bond between Tehran, Palestine, and the resistance."