PM Anwar condemns Ismail Haniyeh assassination as 'most heinous murder'

PETALING JAYA: The assassination of former Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh is a despicable murder that is aimed at stalling ongoing truce talks in the Gaza conflict that has been ongoing since last year, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar strongly condemned the murder of Ismail, who is also the Hamas political bureau chairman.

“This was a murder of the most heinous kind, plainly designed to derail ongoing talks aimed at ending the carnage in Gaza that has claimed over 40,000 lives.

“It is patently clear that this could only have been carried out in an environment of utter impunity,” said Anwar in a Facebook posting on Wednesday (July 31).

“Only the heedless and unconscionable will not see the need to intensify pressure on Israel to stop their murderous rampage,” added Anwar.

Anwar said he is deeply concerned about how would the assassination of Ismail affect Palestinians, who are already been subjected to decades of pain, hardship and suffering.

“Detractors who have criticised me for meeting Ismail in the past, fail to appreciate his profound desire for a peaceful Middle East and a Palestinian nation restored to its rightful dignity.

“I mourn the loss of a dear friend and a valiant advocate for his people. Al-Fatihah,” said Anwar.

On Wednesday (July 31), Hamas said in a statement that Israel attacked Ismail’s residence in Tehran, Iran.

Ismail was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of the new Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday (July 30).

Also present in Tehran was Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul as Malaysia’s representative to the inauguration ceremony.

Wisma Putra had said Johari, and other members of the Malaysian delegation in Tehran, are safe.