German government reacts to assassination of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh

Admin I Thursday, July 31, 2024

BERLIN – The German government has warned against a further escalation of the situation in the Middle East following the assassination of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

“We call on all actors to exercise maximum restraint. The logic of mutual retaliatory strikes is a mistake,” a spokesman for the Foreign Office told journalists in Berlin.

He called on everyone to keep a cool head and do everything possible to de-escalate the situation. “Also the chance of a hostage agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza must not be squandered now,” he said.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is in close contact with EU partners and representatives of the Middle East region, he said. “Diplomacy is running at full speed and our common goal is to help de-escalate the situation.”

The German government was doing everything possible with its partners and utilizing all diplomatic channels to prevent an escalation and a regional conflagration, deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Büchner said.

The entire region was “in an extremely dangerous situation” and nobody could have any interest in fuelling it further,” he added.