Hamas claimed that Haniyeh was assassinated in “a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran” while he was in the Iranian capital to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.
Big! Hamas Chief Killed In Iran; Israel ‘Bombed’ Ismail Haniyeh’s Tehran Residence
The IRGC confirmed the incident but did not provide details on how Haniyeh was killed, stating that the attack was under investigation.
“With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and the combatants of the Resistance Front and the noble nation of Iran, this morning [Wednesday] the residence of Mr. Dr. Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred,” the IRGC statement read. “The cause is under investigation and will be announced soon,” it added.
Hamas held Israel responsible for the killing of their leader and warned that the “act will not go unpunished”.
“This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters.
Ismail Haniyeh served as the spokesperson for the Palestinian group’s global diplomacy during the ongoing conflict in Gaza, despite losing three of his sons in an Israeli airstrike. Although he made strong public statements, many diplomats considered Haniyeh to be a more moderate figure compared to the hardline members of the Iran-backed group within Gaza.
‘Doomsday Awaits Israel’: Hamas’ Deadly Ultimatum After Ismail Haniyeh Killed In Iran
After being appointed to the top position in Hamas in 2017, Haniyeh traveled between Turkey and Doha, the capital of Qatar, bypassing the travel restrictions imposed on the blockaded Gaza Strip. This allowed him to participate in ceasefire negotiations and maintain communication with Hamas’ ally, Iran.
On April 10, an Israeli air strike targeted the car carrying three of Haniyeh’s sons – Hazem, Amir, and Mohammad – resulting in their deaths, along with four of Haniyeh’s grandchildren, including three girls and a boy, according to Hamas.
Source : Times of India
