A mourning and funeral ceremony was held in Doha, Qatar, on Friday for Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Iran on Wednesday.
Haniyeh's body was laid to rest at a cemetery in Lusail, north of the Qatari capital, following the prayers.
Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, senior Hamas official Khalil al-Haya, and thousands of residents attended the ceremony, braving temperatures that exceeded 45 degrees Celsius.
Many residents condemned the assassination and expressed support for the Palestinian national liberation movement.
"Obviously, this is a crime against humanity to assassinate somebody who you are supposed to be negotiating with for a ceasefire. Israel has absolutely no respect for international law; they never have. I genuinely feel that Israel has lost all public opinion in the world," said Omar, a Doha resident.
Many Qataris also accused the United States of being an accomplice of Israel, saying it has long backed Israel on the Palestine-Israel issue and has been the main factor contributing to regional unrest.
"Actually, Israel gets all this support, especially from the USA. So the USA is the first responsible for what has happened in Palestine, for killing of all this number of kids, women, and men. So yes, the USA is the responsible number 1 for what is happening in Palestine," said Abdul, another Doha resident.
Haniyeh's body was transported from Tehran to Doha on Thursday. He and other members of the Hamas Politburo had long been based in the Qatari capital.
Assassinated Hamas leader Haniyeh buried in Qatar
Assassinated Hamas leader Haniyeh buried in Qatar
Assassinated Hamas leader Haniyeh buried in Qatar
U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff policy has sent shockwaves through Asia-Pacific stock markets on Thursday, with most markets down as investors brace for a full-blown trade war.
Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order on the so-called "reciprocal tariffs," imposing a 10-percent "minimum baseline tariff" and higher rates on certain trading partners.
The sweeping move triggered concerns among investors worldwide leading to sharp declines in global stock markets.
The Nikkei 225 stock index closed down 989.94 points, or 2.77 percent on Thursday.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi on Thursday expressed "serious concern" about the U.S. decision to impose reciprocal tariffs, questioning its compliance with World Trade Organization rules and a bilateral trade agreement.
At a press conference, he said that Japan has strongly urged the U.S. to retract its decision to slap a 24 percent levy on Japanese products as part of the reciprocal tariffs.
The U.S. administration's tariff plan could have a "big negative impact" on the global economy and the multilateral trade system, Hayashi said.
The Korea Composite Stock Price Index closed at 2,486.70 points, down 19.16 points, or 0.76 percent.
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who is serving as acting president following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol, said Thursday that the government will use all available measures to tackle the new U.S. tariffs.
In light of the 25-percent tariff South Korea is facing, the acting president has directed the industry minister to thoroughly assess the details and impact of the U.S. tariff imposition and to engage in negotiations with the U.S. to minimize the damage.
Han ordered that supporting measures for industries and companies affected by the U.S. tariffs, such as the automotive sector, should be supported as much as possible at the pan-governmental level.
Australia’s S and P/ASX 200 index closed down 0.94 percent at 7,859.70 points.
Responding to the new tariffs earlier on Thursday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in Melbourne that they were "unwarranted" and had "no basis in logic."
He announced that the government would provide one billion Australian dollars (about 629.4 million U.S. dollars) in zero-interest loans to help businesses impacted by the tariffs capitalize on new export opportunities, strengthen anti-dumping laws to protect local aluminum and steel manufacturers and establish a strategic reserve of minerals.
U.S. tariff policy shock Asia-Pacific stock markets
