Ismail Haniyeh’s assassination aimed to prolong Israel’s war on Gaza: Abbas
Al Jazeera
Palestinian Authority head says killing of Hamas leader in Tehran ‘will have a negative impact on truce talks’.
Israel has killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh to prolong its war on Gaza, according to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
In an interview published by Russia’s state news agency RIA in Russian on Tuesday, Abbas said the assassination was “a cowardly act and a dangerous development in Israeli politics”.
“There is no doubt the purpose of Mr Haniyeh’s assassination is to prolong the war and expand its scope,” he said. “It will have a negative impact on the ongoing negotiations to end the aggression and withdraw Israeli troops from Gaza.”
Abbas said he would discuss the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
The agency quoted a diplomatic source as saying that Abbas would be in the Russian capital from August 12 to 14.
