Pakistan’s upper house of parliament passed a resolution on Monday expressing “profound grief and sorrow” over the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last week.
The assassination, which occurred on Wednesday, has heightened fears of direct conflict between Tehran and its long-standing adversary Israel, in a region already destabilized by Israel’s war in Gaza and escalating tensions in Lebanon.
The resolution, introduced by Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, condemned “human rights violations and unprovoked bombing by Israel in Beirut,” as well as the recent killing of 250 innocent civilians in Palestine. It also criticized Israel, describing it as an “international criminal and terrorist entity” attacking Muslim nations with impunity.
The Senate urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and all Muslim countries to unite against what it termed Israel’s “terrorist agenda.” The resolution called for lifting the siege of Gaza to provide immediate aid to starving and injured civilians and demanded an immediate halt to the bombing in Gaza.
Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of orchestrating the strike that killed Haniyeh, which occurred just hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president. Haniyeh, who was based in Qatar, was buried there on Friday.
The New York Times reported, citing unnamed sources, that the explosion that killed Haniyeh was caused by a bomb covertly smuggled into the guesthouse where he was staying in Tehran two months prior.
Israeli officials have not claimed responsibility for the assassination.
