Turkiye Names Khaled Mashal as Ismail Haniyeh's Replacement but Hamas Refuses
- Al Jazeera
Istanbul, VIVA – The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Friday (Auguts 2), named Khaled Mashal, deputy to the late Ismail Haniyeh, as the head of Hamas' interim political bureau.
"Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with the head of Hamas' interim political bureau, Khaled Mashal, in the Qatari capital Doha, and offered his condolences," the ministry said.
They added that Haniyeh's two sons took part in the meeting in Doha.
But Hamas refused the claims in a comment to Sputnik, saying that it would announce Haniyeh's successor after a consultative Shura Council meeting.
VIVA Militer: Kepala Biro Politik Hamas Palestina, Ismail Haniyeh
- ndtv.com
"We refuse the appointment of a replacement for the late chief Ismail Haniyeh. We will make an official announcement after the elections, which will be held after the Shura Council," said Basem Naim, a member of Hamas' political office in Gaza.
A farewell ceremony for Haniyeh will be held in Doha on Friday, where Haniyeh has been living for the past few years, a source in Hamas told Sputnik. His final resting place has not been officially announced.
Hamas said on Wednesday that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli raid on his residence in Tehran after he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president. Hamas blamed Israel and the US for his death and vowed retaliation.
Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said he would have no comment on Haniyeh's death or Israel's alleged role in it.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Israel ordered its ranks not to comment on Haniyeh's killing.
