The United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Wednesday, August 1, 2024, following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

Russia, holding the rotating presidency of the Security Council, announced that the meeting will take place at 4:00 PM New York time, according to Turkey's Anadolu Agency.

The emergency session was convened at the request of Iran, which was supported by Russia, Algeria, and China.

The Permanent Mission of Iran to the United Nations had requested the Security Council to hold an emergency meeting following Haniyeh's assassination in Tehran on Wednesday morning.

Earlier on Wednesday, Hamas announced the assassination of Haniyeh in an Israeli airstrike targeting his residence in Tehran, the day after his participation in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president, Ebrahim Raisi.

The assassination of Haniyeh comes as the Israeli occupation, with American support, continues its devastating war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, resulting in over 130,000 Palestinian casualties, mostly children and women, and over 10,000 missing.