Killing of Hamas leader 'doesn't help' ceasefire talks, says Biden

The United States has stated that it was not involved in the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas. President Joe Biden expressed that Haniyeh's death 'doesn’t help' the ongoing discussions regarding a potential ceasefire in Gaza. Haniyeh was killed during a visit to Tehran, the capital of Iran, on a Wednesday. Iran and its allies have accused Israel of being responsible for the assassination, but Israel has not yet commented on the matter. Haniyeh was a key figure in Hamas and played a significant role in negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages from Gaza. President Biden voiced his 'very concerned' feelings about the escalating tensions in the Middle East. He stated, 'We have the basis for a ceasefire. He [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] should move on it and they [Hamas] should move on it now. ' Recently, Israel and Hamas had resumed indirect talks aimed at reaching a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, although there have been conflicting reports regarding the progress of these discussions. At the end of May, President Biden outlined what he believed were the terms of an Israeli ceasefire proposal. This proposal has served as the foundation for the on-and-off indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel, with Qatar, Egypt, and the United States acting as mediators. Earlier this week, both Israel and Hamas accused each other of hindering progress. Hamas claimed that Israel had introduced new conditions, while Netanyahu's office stated that Hamas had requested 29 changes to the proposal. The conflict began in October when Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 others, who were taken back to Gaza as hostages. This attack prompted a massive military response from Israel, which has led to the deaths of at least 39,480 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the health ministry controlled by Hamas. President Biden's remarks were his first regarding Haniyeh's assassination since the event occurred. He spoke to reporters at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, where he was preparing to welcome home American citizens. He mentioned that he had spoken with Netanyahu earlier that day and had assured him that the United States would protect Israel 'against all threats from Iran,' which has vowed to retaliate. Iran is Hamas's most significant supporter and is a long-standing adversary of Israel. Negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza have been ongoing for several months, but a resolution remains elusive. Palestinians have set up tents next to sewage in Khan Younis. Although Israel has not claimed responsibility for the assassination, Netanyahu stated after Haniyeh's death that Israel had delivered 'crushing blows' to Iran's proxy groups in recent days. Haniyeh's assassination occurred during a period of heightened tensions in the Middle East. On Saturday, 12 children and young people lost their lives following a strike on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel attributed the attack to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement from Lebanon and vowed 'severe' retaliation, although Hezbollah has denied any involvement. Just hours before Haniyeh's killing, Israel conducted a targeted airstrike in Beirut, killing senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, who was allegedly responsible for the attack on the Golan Heights.