US President Joe Biden said that the assassination of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) political chief Ismail Haniyeh was not helpful for reaching a ceasefire in Gaza. In a statement to media, Biden said that he was deeply concerned about the escalating tensions in the Middle East and urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to quickly reach a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. When he was asked if Haniyeh's assassination affected the chances for a ceasefire agreement, Biden said "it doesn't help," adding that he spoke with Netanyahu earlier on Thursday. On Wednesday, Hamas announced the assassination of its political chief as a result of an Israeli strike in the Iranian capital Tehran. Source: Qatar News Agency