Gaza ceasefire talks in 'dark tunnel' after killing of Hamas chief Haniyeh

Sources say fate of negotiations is uncertain, as US President raises concerns over growing regional tension

Israeli troops operating on the ground in the Gaza Strip AFP)

Negotiations to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip have entered a “dark tunnel” and their fate is uncertain after the assassination of Hamas leader and senior negotiator Ismail Haniyeh, sources told The National on Friday.

Mr Haniyeh, the group's political chief, and his bodyguard were killed in a guesthouse in Tehran on Wednesday. Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas have blamed Israel. But Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.

Mr Haniyeh played a key role in talks for a potential ceasefire in Gaza, liaising with mediators Qatar, which has led months of negotiations alongside Egypt and the US.

The assassination threatens to derail the efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, where about 39,400 people have been killed and more than 90,000 injured since October. The war began when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel and killed about 1,200 people.

"The negotiations are now not just in a dark tunnel, but they have actually died a clinical death," one source said.

Another source said: "No one can now tell you what comes next."

A Hamas official said earlier that the group will start discussing the fate of the talks after “a week or two”.

“The Gaza and hostage negotiations, after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, cannot now be put up for discussion or resumption before a week or two,” the member of Hamas's political leadership told The National.

Israel "does not want to complete the deal", he added.

Qatar and Egypt suggested on Wednesday that the killing of Mr Haniyeh could further jeopardise efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

“Political assassinations and continued targeting of civilians in Gaza, while talks continue, lead us to ask, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side?” Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani wrote on X.

US President Joe Biden stressed late on Thursday that he was "very concerned" about rising tensions in the region and added that the killing of Mr Haniyeh had "not helped" the situation.

The White House said Mr Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by telephone and promised to defend Israel's security "against all threats from Iran".

"We have the basis for a ceasefire. They should move on it and they should move on it now," Mr Biden told reporters after the call.

In Gaza, the Israeli army continued its bombing campaign amid calls by family members of Israeli hostages held in the enclave to agree to a ceasefire deal.

At least four people were killed in an Israeli strike on an apartment building in Gaza city on Friday morning, the Wafa news agency reported. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said the victims were members of the Abu Hashem family.