Biden: Killing Hamas leader won't help stop Gaza fire

U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that the assassination of Ismail Ghani, leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, will not help achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Biden told reporters late Thursday night, Reuters quoted him as saying, according to Yevropeiska Pravda.

The risk of an escalation of the war in the Middle East has increased after Iran threatened to take revenge on Israel for the assassination of Ghani in Tehran.

Hamas and the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed the death of Ghani, who participated in indirect ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip mediated by international negotiators.

Iran said the assassination took place hours after Ghania attended the swearing-in ceremony of the country's new president.

"That's not going to help," Biden told reporters when asked if Ghani's assassination had ruined the chances of a ceasefire agreement.

Biden also said that earlier on Thursday he had a direct conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu's government has not claimed responsibility for the assassination, but he said that Israel has recently launched devastating strikes against Iranian proxies, including Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, and will respond harshly to any attack.

Author - Dmitriy Levchenko, 02/08/2024