Rallies and ceremonies were held across the globe on Friday to commemorate the passing of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political bureau, following his assassination earlier this week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared a national day of mourning in Turkey, expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Erdogan’s declaration came via a post on the X platform on Thursday, accompanied by a presidential decree. “As an expression of our support for the Palestinian cause and our solidarity with our Palestinian brothers, a national day of mourning has been declared … Friday, for the martyrdom of the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Ismail Haniyeh,” Erdogan stated. He extended his condolences to the Palestinian people, denouncing the “treacherous assassination” and attributing it to “Zionist barbarism.”
Thousands marched in Istanbul and around the world, on Wednesday night to protest Haniyeh’s killing, a blow that Hamas attributed to Israel. Haniyeh’s coffin, transported from Tehran, arrived in Doha on Thursday, where his funeral service took place.
In Qatar, funeral prayers were held at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab Mosque. Anwar Gargash, political advisor to UAE President Muhammad bin Zayed, offered his condolences and praised Qatar for hosting the funeral. “The UAE’s position is firm and rejects violence and political assassination in all its forms and sources,” Gargash emphasized.
The assassination, executed via an Israeli airstrike on Haniyeh’s residence in Tehran, followed his participation in President Masoud Pezeshkian’s inauguration ceremony. Both Hamas and Iran vowed retaliation, and international efforts are ongoing to prevent further escalation.
Prayers in absentia were performed for Haniyeh in Gaza, his birthplace, and across several Arab and Islamic countries. In Gaza’s Al-Shati refugee camp, hundreds gathered on the ruins of demolished mosques to honor Haniyeh.
Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of the Hamas Political Bureau, called for global absentee prayers, urging a “day of overwhelming anger” against the assassination and ongoing conflict in Gaza. Tens of thousands attended prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, where worshipers voiced their grief and anger.
In the West Bank, absentee prayers and protests occurred in numerous mosques, with residents expressing outrage over Haniyeh’s murder. Similar scenes unfolded in Turkey, Yemen, Indonesia, and many mosques in the liberated north of Syria, where large crowds participated in prayers and demonstrations.
Protests also occurred in cities like Istanbul, Athens, Beirut, and Amman. In Istanbul, a significant demonstration began at the Fatih Mosque, following a directive from the Turkish Ministry of Religious Affairs.
In Doha, Haniyeh’s funeral was attended by Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad, Prime Minister Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, Turkish officials, and leaders from Hamas and Islamic Jihad. His burial was conducted privately at the Founding Imam cemetery in Lusail.
Haniyeh’s assassination has intensified the conflict between Hamas and Israel, with potential repercussions across the region. As efforts continue to calm the situation, the international community remains watchful of further developments.
