‘We oppose Israel, America and all their supporters’ – Shia Muslims in Magam mourn death of Hamas leader Haniyeh

“Thousands of Shia Muslims joined pro-Palestine rally in Indian Jammu and Kashmir’s city of Magam on Wednesday, mourning the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Footage shows demonstrators performing lamiyat (thumping their chests) to express grief and praying while waving Palestinian flags as well as carrying placards demanding freedom for Gaza. “Wherever people are being oppressed we are always in support of them, like the recent incident where our beloved Ismail Haniyeh was martyred, his family also made huge sacrifice,” said mourner Aijaz Hussain. oppose Israel, America and all their supporters. Every mourner, every Muslim, wherever they are in the world, we support them,” added mourner Fida Hussain. Hamas announced on Tuesday that it has named the group’s leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar as its new leader, following the death of Ismail Haniyeh. The movement noted in a statement that it “expresses its confidence in brother Abi Ibrahim as his leader at a sensitive phase, and complex internal, regional, and international conditions escalated sharply in the Middle East after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukur were killed just hours apart in Beirut and Tehran last week. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei promised Israel would receive a ‘harsh punishment’ over the death of Haniyeh. killing of Shukur. On Thursday, IDF spokesperson Hagari denied Israel had launched an airstrike on Tehran against Haniyeh, while Tel Aviv claimed responsibility for the attack that killed Shukur in Beirut. The Israel Defense Force (IDF) claimed Shukur was behind an attack on the Golan Heights on July 27 which killed 12 children. Hezbollah blames a projectile from Israel’s own Iron Dome defense system which it said had been attempting to take down rocket fire directed at Israeli military installations. The killing of Ismail Haniyeh was mourned and condemned by several countries and movements, including Russia, Syria, Qatar, the Taliban and Hezbollah. The Hamas political leader was a key figure in ongoing talks regarding a ceasefire in Gaza. Haniyeh first joined Hamas when it was founded in 1987 and became Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority 2006-2014. Fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza broke out after the Palestinian group launched an unprecedented attack on southern Israel on October 7, killing 1,139 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping over 200 civilians, according to Israeli officials. In Gaza, the Israeli army launched a large-scale campaign of airstrikes and ground incursion, killing at least 39,000 Palestinians and injuring more than 91,000 since October 7.”