UPDATE - By assassinating Haniyeh, Israel has also killed peace: Turkish foreign minister

UPDATES WITH FIDAN’S PHONE CALL WITH IRAN’S INTERIM FOREIGN MINISTER

By Seda Sevencan and Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Turkish foreign minister on Wednesday said that by assassinating Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, Israel has also killed peace.

"I extend my condolences to his family, to the Palestinian nation, and to the Islamic world. And they should not forget that by killing him, they also killed peace," Hakan Fidan said at a live interview with local broadcasters.

Fidan said that the Israeli prime minister has "taken America hostage.”

"Netanyahu is well aware of this. He has taken America hostage. If he enters a war in Lebanon, the US will have no choice but to go to war to support him," the Turkish foreign minister added.

Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran in the wee hours of Wednesday. Hamas and Iran blamed Israel for the killing, but Tel Aviv has not yet confirmed or denied its involvement.

Haniyeh, who was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, was killed in an airstrike on a guest house.

Fidan also spoke over the phone with Iran’s interim Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri on Wednesday.

The two discussed developments following the assassination of Haniyeh and the situation in the region, according to a statement by Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli on X.