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Hamas leader Haniyeh killed in Tehran

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Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in an attack in Tehran, where he had come to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Massoud Pezeshkian.

Iranian state television, citing the Revolutionary Guards, reported that the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, had died as a result of a terrorist attack on his residence in Tehran. It was also reported that one of Haniyeh’s bodyguards was killed in the attack.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kenani said: ‘Martyr Haniyeh’s blood will never be in vain. The martyrdom of our Mujahid brother in Tehran will strengthen the deep and unbreakable bond between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the beloved Palestine and the resistance.

In a written statement, Hamas confirmed Haniyeh’s death but described the attack as ‘an air strike organised by the Israeli army’.

Israeli army makes no comment

As the Israeli authorities continued their silence over Haniyeh’s killing, Israeli media reports said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office had asked cabinet members not to comment on Haniyeh’s killing.

An official in the Israeli army’s spokesperson’s unit, contacted by AA by telephone, responded to the question “Do you confirm that Haniyeh was killed in the Israeli strike in Tehran?” by saying “We do not comment on this issue”.

However, the Israeli government has closed the north of the country to flights due to tensions in the region following the attacks in Beirut and Tehran. It said the flight ban would be in place for 24 hours, and no restrictions were imposed on land routes in the region.

An unnamed White House official, quoted by CNN, said: “We have seen the news that Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in Iran. The official did not elaborate”.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Washington would help defend Israel if it came under attack.

Fatah and PLO call for unity and resistance

According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, President Abbas strongly condemned the assassination of Haniyeh.

Describing Haniyeh’s assassination as a cowardly act and a dangerous development, Abbas called on the Palestinian people to resist and unite against the Israeli occupation.

Hussein al-Sheikh, Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Executive Council, also strongly condemned the assassination of Haniyeh.

Describing the assassination of the Hamas leader as a dangerous tension, Sheikh called for unity and resistance at a time when Israel has intensified its attacks against the Palestinian people.

Turkey: Aiming to spread the war

“This attack is aimed at spreading the war in Gaza to a regional dimension,” the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement blaming Israel.

“We condemn the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in a dastardly attack in Tehran. We express our condolences to the Palestinian people, who have sacrificed hundreds of thousands of martyrs like Haniyeh in order to live peacefully in their homeland under the roof of their own state.”

The statement stressed that the Netanyahu government’s lack of intention to achieve peace had been demonstrated once again, and noted: “This attack also aims to expand the war in Gaza to a regional dimension. If the international community does not act to stop Israel, our region will face much bigger conflicts. Turkey will continue to support the just cause of the Palestinian people”.

“This is an absolutely unacceptable political assassination and will lead to a further escalation of tensions,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

3 sons and 4 grandchildren killed

On 10 April, the Israeli army shot down a car carrying many members of the family of Ismail Haniyeh, Chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau, who was celebrating Eid al-Fitr with residents and relatives of the Ash-Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City.

Haniyeh, who lost 3 sons and 4 grandchildren in the attack, said that “his children did not leave Gaza and sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque”.

Haniyeh’s grandson Malak Haniyeh, who was wounded in the Israeli army’s attack on Eid al-Fitr, also died in the hospital where he was being treated.

According to the Israeli press, ‘the assassination of Haniyeh’s sons was carried out in cooperation with the Israeli army and intelligence’.

Haniyeh was elected by the Hamas Shura Council on 6 May 2017 to replace Khaled Meshaal as head of the Hamas Political Bureau.

MIDDLE EAST

Katz’s statement on Hezbollah disarmament surprises even Halevi

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Israel’s new Defense Minister, Israel Katz, appointed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to replace the recently dismissed Yoav Gallant, has sparked surprise with a bold declaration regarding Israel’s stance on Hezbollah. Katz stated that one of Israel’s primary goals is to disarm Hezbollah, leaving Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi notably surprised.

As Israel advances into southern Lebanon, negotiations continue in Washington and Beirut over a possible resolution to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. However, Katz emphasized that Israel would not halt its efforts until all military objectives are achieved.

“We will not cease fire, we will not ease pressure, and we will not support any agreement that does not fully achieve the goals of this war,” Katz declared during a visit to the Northern Command alongside Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi.

Katz outlined these objectives as: “disarming Hezbollah, pushing them beyond the Litani River, and ensuring the safe return of Israelis in northern areas to their homes.”

In the accompanying video, Halevi appeared visibly taken aback by Katz’s mention of disarming Hezbollah as an official objective, as this has not been publicly stated as a government directive.

Katz further stressed Israel’s right to “implement any agreement independently and to act decisively against any terrorist activity or organization.” He added, “We must continue to strike Hezbollah with full force.”

6 Israeli soldiers killed

Meanwhile, as Israel presses forward with its ground invasion of southern Lebanon, six more Israeli soldiers were killed in a clash with Hezbollah forces. This incident, one of the heaviest single-day casualties for Israel since the invasion’s onset, highlights the intensifying nature of the conflict.

According to a statement by the Israeli army, the soldiers, all from the 51st Battalion of the Golani Brigade, were killed in fire exchange with at least four Hezbollah fighters inside a building in a southern Lebanese village.

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Sexual harassment investigation targeting ICC Chief amid controversial prosecution

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The International Criminal Court (ICC) has enlisted independent investigators to examine allegations of sexual harassment against Prosecutor Karim Khan.

The accusations against Khan surfaced as the ICC evaluated Khan’s request to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes in Gaza.

Finnish diplomat Päivi Kaukoranta, who leads the ICC’s oversight body, stated that an external investigation was initiated after reports surfaced that Khan had acted inappropriately toward a female colleague. Normally, such matters are managed by the court’s internal audit, but Khan personally requested that the Independent Supervisory Mechanism (ISM) oversee the case. Kaukoranta explained, “In light of the case’s unique circumstances, the ISM’s victim-centered approach, and the potential for conflicts of interest, the ISM agreed to the exceptional use of an external investigation.”

Khan denied the allegations, stating, “I have previously called for an investigation into this matter and welcome the opportunity to participate in this process.”

The investigation coincides with the ICC’s deliberation over Khan’s request to issue warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity related to Israel’s actions in Gaza.

While Khan’s move was supported internationally, it drew criticism from the Biden administration and U.S. Congress. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed legislation that sanctions individuals affiliated with the ICC, including judges and their families, underscoring the U.S. policy of opposition to ICC jurisdiction over Israel.

Reports have also surfaced regarding Israel’s alleged threats toward ICC officials. In May, The Guardian revealed that Khan’s predecessor, Fatou Bensouda, was pressured in “a series of secret meetings” with Mossad chief Yossi Cohen, a close ally of Netanyahu. Cohen reportedly advised Bensouda to “drop the war crimes investigation,” allegedly warning her, “You don’t want to be involved in anything that could endanger your safety or your family’s safety.”

Khan has since noted he faced pressure before submitting his application for the arrest warrant.

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Trump will conditionally support West Bank annexation

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Former Trump aides have cautioned Israeli ministers not to assume Trump’s unconditional support for West Bank annexation in a potential second term, according to The Times of Israel.

At least two officials from Donald Trump’s previous administration advised Israeli ministers to temper expectations about Trump’s support for Israel’s annexation of the West Bank. Sources close to the discussions indicated that while annexation is not off the table, Israeli leaders should avoid viewing it as a “foregone conclusion.”

The message was delivered in meetings and discussions held in the months leading up to Trump’s recent presidential victory. However, some far-right cabinet members remained undeterred. On Monday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich declared that 2025 would mark “the year of sovereignty in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]” following Trump’s re-election. Last week, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also asserted that “the time for sovereignty has come.”

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced Yechiel Leiter as Israel’s next ambassador to the United States. Leiter, a former settler leader, is known for his support of West Bank annexation and opposition to a Palestinian state.

In a statement to The Times of Israel, an anonymous Israeli official said Trump’s former advisers have not ruled out his potential support for annexation. However, they indicated it could jeopardize Trump’s broader foreign policy priorities, including countering Iran, competing with China, and ending the war in Ukraine. Trump would likely need the support of key Gulf allies—notably Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—to achieve these goals. Unconditional support for Israeli annexation, however, could risk backlash from these regional allies.

In 2020, Trump’s peace plan proposed annexing all Israeli settlements while leaving open the possibility of a Palestinian state in other areas of the West Bank. Although Prime Minister Netanyahu had hesitations, settler leaders and officials like Smotrich celebrated Trump’s recent victory as a chance to realize annexation plans.

A former Trump adviser told an Israeli minister that Trump’s support for Israeli sovereignty would likely come with more conditions than in 2020. After the Palestinian Authority rejected Trump’s “Peace to Prosperity” proposal in 2020, the Trump administration and Israel began planning a partial annexation of the West Bank. However, this initiative was set aside when the UAE agreed to normalize relations with Israel.

The U.S. commitment to the UAE to delay Israeli annexation efforts expires at the end of 2024. Still, a former Trump official told The Times of Israel that a major shift in U.S. support for annexation should not be expected. “If any shift happens, it would need to be part of a process,” the official commented.

Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s former Middle East envoy, reinforced this message, stating:

“I think it’s important that those in Israel who are celebrating President Trump’s victory do so because of his strong support for Israel, as evidenced by many historic achievements during his first term. Some Israeli ministers are assuming that expanding Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria is an automatic done deal and will happen as soon as President Trump takes office.

I suggest they take a deep breath. If I were advising these ministers, I would strongly urge them to focus on working closely with Prime Minister Netanyahu to strengthen U.S.-Israel relations and address the significant threats facing Israel. The time for discussions around Judea and Samaria will come, but context and timing are crucial.”

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