Protest in Turkey Against Hamas Leader's Death

On Saturday evening, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Istanbul to protest the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Iran on July 31. Haniyeh's death occurred shortly after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's new president. While Israel has not claimed responsibility for Haniyeh's assassination, Hamas has accused the Israeli government of orchestrating the attack, drawing parallels to Israel's earlier admission of responsibility for the killing of Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. The demonstration, organized by various conservative and pro-government groups, took place in front of the historic Hagia Sophia, where participants waved Turkish and Palestinian flags and held portraits of Haniyeh. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned the "perfidious assassination," labeling it an act of "Zionist barbarity." Haniyeh, who had strong ties to Turkey and was received by Erdoğan earlier this year, was seen as a significant figure in the Palestinian struggle, which Erdoğan has characterized as a liberation movement. The backdrop of the protest is the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which escalated following Hamas's unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in significant casualties on both sides. According to Israeli figures, the attack led to the deaths of 1,197 people, primarily civilians, and the seizure of 251 hostages. In retaliation, Israel's military campaign against Hamas has reportedly resulted in over 39,550 deaths in Gaza, as per the territory's health ministry.