China condemns killing of Hamas leader Haniyeh, 'deeply concerned' about further turmoil
Beijing has strongly condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in a strike in Tehran, warning that the killing could plunge the region into deeper chaos a week after China helped to broker a Palestinian unity deal.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday that Beijing strongly opposed the assassination of Haniyeh.
"China has always advocated resolving regional disputes through negotiation and dialogue," Lin said, adding that Beijing was "deeply concerned" that the incident could lead to further turmoil in the region.
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He also repeated a call for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza to avoid further escalation of the conflict.
Hamas said on Wednesday that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli strike in Iran, where he had been attending the inauguration of the country's new president.
Haniyeh's death is a major setback for Hamas and casts a shadow over future negotiations with Israel, as tensions escalate across the Middle East due to the devastating war in Gaza. Iran and Hamas have blamed Israel for the assassination, but Israel has not yet officially commented.
Hamas said Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an air strike at his residence in Tehran after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's new president. Photo: AFP alt=Hamas said Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an air strike at his residence in Tehran after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's new president. Photo: AFP>
The attack has drawn sympathy from Middle East countries, with Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, saying the assassination would only cement the bonds between Iran and Palestine.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its territorial integrity and honour, and would make the terrorist occupiers regret their cowardly action," he said in a statement posted on X.
Mousa Abu Marzook, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau, has vowed to avenge the martyrdom of Haniyeh, asserting that the "cowardly" assassination would not go "unanswered".
As the political leader of Hamas, Haniyeh played a crucial role as a key interlocutor with Egyptian and Qatari mediators during the stalled hostage and ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
The attack occurred less than 24 hours after Israel claimed to have killed Hezbollah's top military commander, Fuad Shukur, in an air strike on a southern Beirut suburb, sparking fears of wider conflict in the region. Israel had blamed Shukur for a deadly attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The Lebanese government expected Hezbollah to retaliate over the Israeli strike, reports said. A Lebanese minister said a plan was in place to address the potential large-scale displacement of people in Lebanon.
The foreign ministry in Qatar, which has also condemned the killing, called the attack "a dangerous escalation".
The Qatari ministry added that Haniyeh's assassination and Israel's "reckless targeting of civilians in Gaza are likely to lead the region into chaos and undermine the chances of peace".
China has historically supported the Palestinian cause and advocated for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Last week, China hosted rival Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Fatah in Beijing, where they signed the Beijing Declaration to form a national unity government in post-war Gaza.
Additional reporting by Reuters
This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
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