31-7-2024 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has paid tribute to Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was reportedly killed in an Israeli strike in Iran early Wednesday morning. The Prime Minister’s heartfelt statement, posted on Facebook, not only mourned the loss of a “dear friend” but also condemned the act as a “murder of the most heinous kind”.
Anwar, who had previously faced criticism for meeting with Haniyeh, defended the late Hamas leader’s vision, stating that detractors had failed to appreciate Haniyeh’s “desire for a peaceful Middle East and a Palestinian nation restored to its rightful dignity”. The Prime Minister’s words paint a picture of Haniyeh as a “valiant advocate for his people”, a stark contrast to the portrayal often seen in Western media.
“Al-Fatihah,” Anwar wrote, invoking the opening chapter of the Quran in a gesture of respect and mourning.
The Malaysian leader did not mince words in his condemnation of the assassination, suggesting it was “plainly designed to derail ongoing talks aimed at ending the carnage in Gaza”. With over 40,000 lives claimed in the conflict, Anwar argued that the killing could only have been carried out in an “environment of utter impunity”.
In a call to action, the Prime Minister urged for increased pressure on Israel to “stop their murderous rampage”, stating that only the “heedless and unconscionable” would fail to see this necessity. His words reflect a growing frustration with the ongoing conflict and its devastating human cost.
I condemn in the strongest possible terms the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the Political Bureau Chairman of the Hamas resistance movement.
This was a murder of the most heinous kind, plainly designed to derail ongoing talks aimed at ending the carnage in Gaza that has… pic.twitter.com/QgJxN24XtD
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) July 31, 2024
Anwar also expressed deep concern for the future of the Palestinian people in light of Haniyeh’s death, acknowledging the decades of “pain, hardship and suffering” they have endured.
The news of Haniyeh’s death was confirmed by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who stated they were investigating the matter. The Hamas leader had been in Iran attending the swearing-in ceremony of the country’s new president, adding a layer of diplomatic complexity to the situation.
This development comes less than a day after Israel claimed to have killed a Hezbollah commander allegedly responsible for a deadly strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The timing of these events has cast a shadow over hopes for an imminent ceasefire in Gaza, with Hamas vowing that Haniyeh’s assassination “will not go unanswered”.
In response to the incident, Malaysia’s foreign ministry, Wisma Putra, has called for an immediate and thorough investigation into Haniyeh’s killing. The ministry stressed the importance of bringing those responsible to justice and urged all parties to exercise restraint while the facts are being established.
