Israel-Hamas Conflict: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran; body arrives in Qatar

The body of Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh arrived in Doha, Qatar on August 1 ahead of his funeral and burial. Hamas members, including Khaled Meshaal, received the mortal remains of Haniyeh at Doha International Airport. Ismail Haniyeh, who was usually based in Qatar, was killed in Tehran, Iran on July 31 morning in Airstrike. He was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian President-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian. Although the strike on Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh was widely assumed to have been carried out by Israel. Amid the Israel-Hamas Conflict, PM Benjamin Netanyahu`s government did not claim responsibility and said it would not comment on the killing. Hamas in a statement said that Haniyeh`s killing would "take the battle to new dimensions and have major repercussions". Hamas Chief Haniyeh was tough-talking face of Palestinian group`s international diplomacy as war raged back in Gaza. He had a major hand in building up Hamas` fighting capacity, partly by nurturing ties with Shi`ite Muslim Iran. He will be buried at a cemetery in Lusail, north of the Qatari capital on August 02, following funeral prayers.