Hamas leader's death sparks dispute among Middle East mediators
Egypt, Qatar, and the USA exert influence as mediators in the Middle East. However, the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has caused friction among them, with the United States facing multiple accusations regarding the alleged Israeli action.
The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has led to tensions between the mediating countries USA, Egypt, and Qatar. Representatives of the three countries have exchanged accusations following the attack, according to an Egyptian representative with knowledge of the discussions. Egypt criticized the USA for demanding that it and Qatar pressure the Palestinian organization Hamas into compromises, while Washington has been unable to prevent its ally Israel from provocations. The assassination was reckless.
Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani wrote on X: "Can mediation succeed if one party assassinates the leader of the other side?" US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has assured that his country had no prior knowledge of the attack on Haniyeh.
Haniyeh was killed in his Tehran residence in a drone strike on Wednesday. Iran and Hamas blamed Israel and vowed retaliation. The government in Jerusalem has remained silent on the matter.
Egypt, Qatar, and the USA have been trying for months to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. They were awaiting a response from Hamas. The Egyptian representative said that an agreement is now unlikely in the near future, as Hamas will first need to appoint a successor to Haniyeh. The mediators will contact Hamas representatives after his funeral on Friday to explore the next steps. The immediate goal is to prevent a wider war in the region.
The United States' involvement in the situation following Haniyeh's assassination has faced criticism from Egypt, with Egypt questioning the US's demand for Hamas compromises. The United States of America, along with Egypt and Qatar, continues to seek a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, despite the challenge posed by Haniyeh's assassination.
