ISTANBUL 

Qatar on Wednesday condemned the assassination of Hamas' political bureau head Ismail Haniyeh, fearing that it will escalate chaos in the region and dim the prospect of peace.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry in a statement "condemned in the strongest terms the assassination of Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh," calling it "a dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law."

The statement added that Haniyeh's assassination and the "reckless targeting of civilians in Gaza are likely to lead the region into chaos and undermine the chances of peace."

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced early Wednesday that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his residence in the Iranian capital Tehran.

Israel has made no immediate announcement about the assassination.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar