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Malaysia PM Outraged Over Removal of Facebook Post on Haniyeh Assassination 

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim holds a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not pictured) in Berlin, Germany, March 11, 2024. (Reuters) 
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim holds a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not pictured) in Berlin, Germany, March 11, 2024. (Reuters) 
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Malaysia PM Outraged Over Removal of Facebook Post on Haniyeh Assassination 

Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim holds a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not pictured) in Berlin, Germany, March 11, 2024. (Reuters) 
Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim holds a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (not pictured) in Berlin, Germany, March 11, 2024. (Reuters) 

Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday accused Meta Platforms of cowardice after his Facebook post on the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was removed, in his government's latest run-in with the firm over blocked content.

Muslim-majority Malaysia is a supporter of the Palestinian cause and Anwar had posted a video recording of his phone call with a Hamas official to offer condolences over Haniyeh's death, which was later removed.

Haniyeh's assassination in Iran on Wednesday has added fuel to concern the conflict in Gaza was turning into a wider Middle East war.

Anwar, who met Haniyeh in Qatar in May, has said he has good relations with the Hamas political leadership but no links on a military level.

"Let this serve as a clear and unequivocal message to Meta: Cease this display of cowardice," Anwar posted on his Facebook page.

Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday and Malaysia's communications ministry said it would address the issue at a press conference.

Malaysia has previously complained to Meta over its takedown of content, including local media coverage of Anwar's last meeting with Haniyeh, which was later restored.

Meta at the time said it was not deliberately suppressing voices on its Facebook platform and was not restricting content supporting the Palestinians.

Meta has designated Hamas, the Palestinian movement that governs Gaza, as a "dangerous organization" and bans content praising the group. It also uses a mix of automated detection and human review to remove or label graphic visuals.

Malaysia has long advocated a two-state solution for the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

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Conflicting Reports on Haniyeh’s Killing Location, Iran Vows Revenge

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh embraces IRGC Chief Hossein Salami at the Iranian parliament (Reuters)
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh embraces IRGC Chief Hossein Salami at the Iranian parliament (Reuters)
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Conflicting Reports on Haniyeh’s Killing Location, Iran Vows Revenge

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh embraces IRGC Chief Hossein Salami at the Iranian parliament (Reuters)
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh embraces IRGC Chief Hossein Salami at the Iranian parliament (Reuters)

The official Iranian response remains tight-lipped following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. Conflicting reports have emerged about the location of the attack, while Iranian officials have accused Israel of the killing and vowed revenge.
Haniyeh was in Tehran for the swearing-in of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, amid tight security and the presence of officials from around 80 countries.
Initial reports from Iranian websites claimed that Haniyeh was killed near the Saadabad Palace by an Israeli drone. Other sources, however, stated that the attack happened in western Tehran.
The “Sabreen News” channel, linked to Iran’s Quds Force, the foreign arm of the Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), first reported the killing at 1:45 a.m. Iranian authorities have not released any photos of the scene.
Simultaneously, reports on the social media platform X mentioned a large blast in western Tehran, an area known for housing IRGC-linked residential sites.
Israeli Channel 12 suggested that the missile that killed Haniyeh was fired from within Iran, not by a drone as some reports had claimed.
Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed in a guesthouse belonging to the IRGC in northern Tehran’s Chitgar neighborhood. The report noted that Islamic Jihad leader Ziad al-Nakhala, who was in another part of the building, was not targeted.
Khalil al-Hayya, Hamas’s deputy leader, confirmed at a Tehran press conference that witnesses saw a missile hit the room where Haniyeh was staying. He said they are awaiting a full investigation and noted the explosion caused significant damage.
Al-Hayya also stated that discussions of a ceasefire with Israel are now irrelevant following the assassination.
He emphasized that while neither Iran nor Hamas seeks a regional war, the killing must be avenged, leaving resistance as the only option.
The IRGC confirmed that Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed when their residence in Tehran was targeted. The statement provided few details.
Later, the Tasnim and Fars news agencies, both affiliated with the IRGC, reported that Haniyeh was killed at 2 a.m. by an aerial projectile.
According to the agencies, Haniyeh was staying at a veterans’ facility in northern Tehran.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said an investigation is underway into the assassination. He claimed the killing would strengthen Iran’s ties with the Palestinian cause.
The IRGC warned that Haniyeh’s death would prompt a “severe and painful” response. They pledged that Iran and its regional allies would retaliate against those responsible.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Iran must retaliate for the killing of Haniyeh because it happened on Iranian soil. He warned that Israel’s actions have set the stage for severe consequences.
President Pezeshkian also blamed Israel for the killing and promised that Iran would make Israel regret it.
Reuters reported that Iran’s Supreme National Security Council held an urgent meeting early Wednesday with senior IRGC leaders to address the assassination of Haniyeh.
Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran and the resistance would ensure Haniyeh’s death would not go unpunished.
Moreover, Iranian lawmakers suggested infiltrators might have leaked Haniyeh’s location and urged officials to address this issue seriously. They called for a full investigation and warned that Iran would respond to the attack, whether directly or indirectly.