Qatar was outraged by Israel's actions: "Are you killing the negotiator and want peace?"

How can mediation be successful if one side kills the negotiator on the other side, the Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani asked such a rhetorical question today, July 31, commenting on the assassination in Tehran of the head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Hamas movement Ismail Haniyeh, Al Jazeera TV channel reports.

Israel is supposed to be behind the attack, although the special services of the Jewish state traditionally do not take responsibility after conducting such operations abroad.

"Political assassinations and ongoing attacks on civilians in Gaza during the negotiations make us wonder: How can mediation be successful if one side kills the negotiator on the other side?" — said the Qatari Prime Minister.

"The world (in the region) needs serious partners and a global position against the neglect of human life," he added.

Ismail Haniyeh was a key interlocutor for the Egyptian and Qatari mediators in the negotiations to reach an agreement between Israel and Hamas on the release of hostages and a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.

The headquarters of the Hamas Politburo is located in Doha. Ismail Haniya has been living in the capital of the peninsular emirate for the past few years. The day before, he visited Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of the elected President of Iran, Massoud Peseshkian.

As reported by EADaily, the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, said earlier this Wednesday that by killing Ismail Haniyeh, Israel had prepared the ground for "severe punishment for itself." The spiritual leader of the Islamic Republic also stressed that Iran considers it its duty to avenge the murder of Haniyeh, who suffered a "martyr's death" on the territory of Iran.