DUBAI The prime minister of Qatar, which has acted as a mediator in ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, suggested on Wednesday that the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh could jeopardise efforts to secure a truce in Gaza.

"Political assassinations and continued targeting of civilians in Gaza while talks continue leads us to ask, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on other side?" Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani wrote on X.

"Peace needs serious partners & a global stance against the disregard for human life."

Qatar, Egypt and the United States have repeatedly tried to secure a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, where Israeli forces have killed more than 39,000 Palestinians since Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel in October, killing 1,200 people.

A final deal to halt more than nine months of war has been complicated by changes sought by Israel, sources have told Reuters.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who mainly resided in Qatar, was assassinated in the early hours of the morning in Iran, drawing fears of wider escalation in a region shaken by Israel's war in Gaza and a worsening conflict in Lebanon.

Qatar strongly condemned the killing in Tehran, saying it was a dangerous escalation.

  - Reuters