Thousands attend Ismail Haniyeh's funeral prayers at JI sit-in in Rawalpindi

Thousands of people attended a symbolic funeral prayer for slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) ongoing sit-in in Rawalpindi on Wednesday.

The event took place on Liaquat Road, with Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, addressing the participants.

"The martyrdom of Haniyeh has instilled a new spirit in us," Rehman said. "If people around the world stand with Hamas today, it is a significant achievement for them."

Also read: Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran

Rehman recounted seeing a picture of Haniyeh with his entire family involved in the movement. "Nearly seventy members of his family have sacrificed their lives for this cause. He has achieved his goal but left a message for all – the path of honour is through revolution, freedom, and martyrdom."

He emphasised that Haniyeh's martyrdom has revitalised their cause and that many more Haniyehs would emerge.

Rehman mentioned that from October to now, fifty thousand Palestinians have been martyred, with another study citing the figure at 92,000. He addressed the United States, Israel, and what he termed as the "enslaved Muslim Ummah," declaring, "You may have all the technology, but Israel has already been defeated by Hamas."