Tehran, Iran - July 31, 2024

Storyline:
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader, vowed to make Israel pay a heavy price for its assassination of Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh at a press conference in Iran on Wednesday.

Briefing the media some details of the assassination, he said that witnesses said a missile hit Haniyeh's room and exploded, killing him and one of his bodyguard with doors, windows and walls being seriously damaged.

Hamas is waiting for the result of Iran's comprehensive investigation on the assassination, he added.

Al-Hayya said that, targeting Lebanon and Iran, Israel is provoking the whole world, hoping to expand the conflict to the entire region. He vowed to make Israel pay a heavy price for the assassination.

Regarding the ceasefire talks in the Gaza Strip, he said that it is meaningless to talk about ceasefire negotiations in the current context.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put obstacles to reaching a ceasefire agreement and exchanging detained personnel, which indicated that Israel is not seeking a ceasefire and will continue its military operations in Gaza.

"There is no point in talking about ceasefire negotiations amid bloodshed and assassinations. Netanyahu and [U.S. President] Joe Biden had agreed on a preliminary agreement, but they added new conditions during negotiations. This shows that Netanyahu and his government are not seeking a ceasefire and do not want to stop the aggression," said Al-Hayya.

Iranian analysts said that the assassination of Haniyeh has cast a shadow over the ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip, while Israel's sabotage operations in Iran will court retaliation from the resistance front in the region, further escalating tensions.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared July 31 a day of mourning to commemorate Haniyeh.

According to Palestinian News Agency, Abbas required official institutions in the West Bank to lower their flags to half-mast, while strongly condemning the assassination and calling on the Palestinian people to unite.

Shotlist:
Tehran, Iran - July 31, 2024:
1. Hamas press conference on the assassination of its Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh in progress;
2. Reporters;
3. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Khalil al-Hayya, senior Hamas leader:
"There is no point in talking about ceasefire negotiations amid bloodshed and assassinations. Netanyahu and [U.S. President] Joe Biden had agreed on a preliminary agreement, but they added new conditions during negotiations. This shows that Netanyahu and his government are not seeking a ceasefire and do not want to stop the aggression."
FILE: Tehran, Iran - March 26, 2024:
4. Various of Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) leader Ismail Haniyeh during visit to Iran;
Deir el-Balah, Gaza Strip - July 27, 2024:
5. Various of residents searching in debris;
Khan Younis, Gaza Strip - July 22, 2024:
6. Smoke rising from damaged building;
7. Various of people fleeing; roads strewn with rubble;
FILE: Tehran, Iran - April 2, 2024:
8. Various of national flags of Iran, traffic.

[Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International TV]