Netanyahu will pay, Turkish official says after Haniyeh killing
Ismael Haniyeh, Palestinian leader of the militant group Hamas, surrounded by lawmakers flashes the victory sign during the swearing-in ceremony for the new Iranian President, at the parliament in Tehran, Iran, July 30, 2024. (AFP Photo)


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration will eventually be held to account, a senior Turkish official said Wednesday after the assassination of Palestinian resistance group Hamas' political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Condemning Haniyeh’s killing, presidential adviser Akif Çağatay Kılıç said: "Netanyahu, who has swept aside any and all formulas for peace to continue his massacres, will one way or the other pay for his crimes."

Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) too condemned the attack that took place in the Iranian capital of Tehran, with Deputy Chair and spokesperson Ömer Çelik describing it as a "Zionist assassination."

"We condemn the killing of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, one of the leading figures in the Palestinian cause, in Tehran in a Zionist assassination," said Çelik on his social media account X.

Describing the impact of Haniyeh's assassination, Çelik said: "Haniyeh was martyred while fighting for the Palestinian people and homeland as a result of the attackers' assault. This assassination once again shows that the Netanyahu government is a network of genocide and massacre."

Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş joined the outcry, warning that the attack on Haniyeh must be a warning to the people.

"Netanyahu and his gang must be stopped immediately," he told broadcaster CNN Turk.

Haniyeh, a prominent Palestinian leader, was reportedly targeted while in Iran, prompting widespread condemnation from many quarters.

The assassination has stirred significant political and social reactions, with many viewing it as a severe blow to the Palestinian cause.

The incident highlights the region's ongoing tensions and the volatile situation surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.