The Palestinian President told a Russian group: The killing of Ismail Haniyeh was aimed at expanding the Gaza war

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(Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the official Russian media in statements published on Tuesday that the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), is aimed at the escalation of the conflict in Gaza and complex negotiations aimed at resolving the crisis.

Abbas said, “There is no doubt that the aim of killing Haniyeh was to prolong the war and expand its scope.”

He continued, “It will have a negative impact on the ongoing negotiations to end the attack and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.”

Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital, Tehran, last week, in an attack that prompted threats of retaliation against Israel and raised fears that the conflict in Gaza could turn into a wider war in the Middle East.

“We consider this a barbaric act and a dangerous development in Israel’s policy,” Abbas said in statements published by the Russian Intelligence Agency.

He continued, “The Israeli occupation authorities must abandon their ambitions, stop their aggressive actions against our people and our cause, respect international law and implement the Arab Peace Initiative , as well as an immediate and permanent ceasefire and withdrawal of forces from the Gaza Strip.”