The South African government has condemned the “targeted assassination” of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, in a statement issued on Thursday. Haniyeh, along with one of his bodyguards, was killed when their residence in Tehran was struck early on Wednesday. The attack was confirmed by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, which has promised a thorough investigation, though results have yet to be disclosed. Israel has not commented on the incident.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation expressed “heartfelt condolences” to Haniyeh’s family, the Palestinian leadership, and the people of Palestine. The South African government has voiced concerns that the assassination and the ongoing targeting of civilians in Gaza could exacerbate tensions in the already volatile region.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola condemned the assassination as a violation of international law and human rights principles. He stressed that all nations must respect international law, including the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
South Africa has called for a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire and urged the international community to act swiftly to address the ongoing violence in Gaza. The government condemned the “genocide” in Gaza, emphasising the need to end impunity, aggression against Palestinians, and the Israeli occupation.
The Israeli offensive against Hamas, which began on October 7 of the previous year following a surprise Hamas attack that killed around 1,200 Israelis and took over 200 hostages, has reportedly resulted in over 39,445 Palestinian deaths and the displacement of approximately 2 million people in Gaza, according to local health authorities.
