Qatar To Hold Hamas Political Leader’s Funeral

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh will be buried today in Qatar, as his killing raises fears that Israel’s war with the Palestinian militant group in Gaza could spiral into a fully-fledged Middle East conflict.

US President Joe Biden said the assassination had “not helped the chances of a ceasefire deal” and expressed concern about the escalating tensions in the region after Iran vowed retaliation for Haniyeh’s killing on its soil.

Biden is also weighing more US defenses in the Middle East as the US prepares for an Iranian retaliation against Israel that officials say could include an attack on American forces.

Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran using a hidden explosive device, becoming the third high-profile figure in Iran-backed militant groups to be killed in recent weeks. Reports said.

CNN/Shakirat Sadiq