Mahmoud Abbas on Ismail Haniyeh

Mahmoud Abbas, the President, expressed strong condemnation following the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, asserting that the act was a cowardly assassination carried out by Israel. He declared a day of mourning for the Hamas political bureau chief, signaling an official, albeit conflicted, moment of shared grievance over the death itself, even while deeply opposing Haniyeh's politics. The President contended that the targeted killing was intended to prolong the conflict in Gaza rather than de-escalate the situation.

His reaction placed him momentarily alongside factions with whom he is usually in direct political opposition. The President's office communicated this stance through official channels and social media, framing the assassination as a dangerous escalation that serves only to extend Israel's war against the Palestinian people. This expression of condolence and condemnation for the manner of death momentarily overshadowed the long-standing, fundamental political rivalry between the two Palestinian leaders.