UPDATE - Germany urges immediate de-escalation in aftermath of Hamas leader Haniyeh's assassination

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

UPDATES WITH MORE COMMENTS BY FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESPERSON FISCHER AND GOVERNMENT SPOKESPERSON BUCHNER

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Wednesday urged immediate de-escalation in the aftermath of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's assassination.

“It must now be a matter of keeping a cool head and doing everything possible to de-escalate, and the chance of a hostage agreement and a cease-fire in Gaza must not be squandered now,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer said at a press briefing in Berlin.

More diplomatic efforts are now needed to secure a cease-fire for the people in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages, he added.

Fischer warned of a further escalation of the situation in the Middle East following the assassination of Haniyeh.

“We call on all actors to exercise maximum restraint. The logic of mutual retaliation is a misguided approach,” he stressed.

Fischer pointed out that Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was in close contact with EU partners and representatives of the Middle East region. ​​​​​​​

“Diplomacy is in full swing and our common goal is to help de-escalate the situation,” he said.

Deputy government spokesman Wolfgang Buchner said his country was doing everything it could with its partners and using all diplomatic channels to prevent escalation and a regional conflagration.

The entire region is “in an extremely dangerous situation” and no one could be interested in fueling it further, he stressed.

Hamas announced early Wednesday that Haniyeh was assassinated in an Israeli airstrike on his residence in the Iranian capital Tehran.

The Iranian state television also reported Haniyeh’s death, noting that an investigation into the assassination is ongoing and that the findings will be announced soon.

Israel has made no immediate announcement about the assassination.​​​​​​