 "Palestinian group Hamas' top leader, Ismail Haniyeh. Reuters")
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Tuesday travelled to Iran’s capital city of Tehran to hold talks with Iranian officials, a day after the UNSC passed a landmark resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
“Hamas bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, during his trip to Tehran on Tuesday, will meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian,” Iran’s official IRNA news agency said, adding that he will also meet with other senior officials.
This marks Haniyeh’s second visit to Iran since Hamas launched an all-out offensive against Israel in October 2023. Earlier, the terror outfit’s leader visited Tehran in November where he met the country’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei along with other noteworthy officials.
Iran hailed the October 7 attack as a “success” but denied any direct involvement.
Hamas rejects ceasefire proposal
The Iran-backed group has rejected the recently passed resolution seeking an “immediate” ceasefire in the war-torn region of Gaza, claiming that Israel is ignoring its core demand.
In a statement published on Monday, soon after the passage of the resolution, Hamas said that it had informed mediators about its plan to “stick to its original position” that was conveyed last month.
It accused Israel of not responding to “its core demands of a “comprehensive cease-fire, an (Israeli) withdrawal from the Strip, the return of displaced people and a real prisoner exchange.”
Resolution triggers row between US, Israel
Washington’s decision to abstain from a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) vote on an ‘immediate’ Gaza ceasefire has widened cracks between the US and Israel, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called off a trip to the American capital by two of his top advisors.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe Israeli Prime Minister’s Office in a statement criticised Washington’s call to abstain instead of vetoing, a practice that was followed by the US in previous UN votes on the issue.
With inputs from agencies