Hamas Leader Haniyeh Mourns Loss: Three Sons Killed in Israeli Strike
Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent figure in Hamas, suffered the loss of his three sons in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, as confirmed by both the Palestinian Islamist group and Haniyeh’s relatives.
The Israeli military acknowledged conducting the assault, identifying the trio as members of the Hamas militant faction.
Hamas reported that Hazem, Amir, and Mohammad, the three sons, lost their lives in a bombing targeting the car they were traveling in within Gaza’s Al-Shati camp. Additionally, Hamas stated that four of Haniyeh’s grandchildren, comprising three girls and a boy, were among those killed in the incident.
Inquired about the four grandchildren who perished in the airstrike, the Israeli military responded that they currently lack any information on the matter.
Haniyeh, situated in Qatar, has served as the assertive representative of Hamas’ global diplomacy during the ongoing conflict with Israel in Gaza. His family residence in Gaza was demolished by an Israeli airstrike in November.
“The blood of my sons is not dearer than the blood of our people,” Haniyeh, 61, who has 13 sons and daughters according to Hamas sources, told pan-Arab Al Jazeera TV.
Relatives reported that on the initial day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr celebration in Shati, their native refugee camp in Gaza City, three sons and four grandchildren were engaged in family visits.
On Tuesday, Hamas announced that it was examining an Israeli ceasefire offer regarding the ongoing Gaza conflict, yet they criticized it as “uncompromising” and asserted that it failed to address any of the Palestinian requirements.
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“Our demands are clear and specific and we will not make concessions on them. The enemy will be delusional if it thinks that targeting my sons, at the climax of the negotiations and before the movement sends its response, will push Hamas to change its position,” Haniyeh said.
In the seventh month of conflict, during which Israel’s extensive air and ground attacks have caused severe damage in Gaza, Hamas seeks cessation of Israeli military actions, withdrawal of troops from the region, and the allowance for displaced Palestinians to return to their homes.
Haniyeh’s eldest son confirmed in a Facebook post that his three brothers were killed. “Thanks to God who honored us by the martyrdom of my brothers, Hazem, Amir, and Mohammad and their children,” wrote Abdel-Salam Haniyeh.
Named to the highest position within the militant organization in 2017, Haniyeh has traveled between Turkey and Qatar’s capital, Doha, to circumvent travel restrictions imposed by Israel in the blockaded Gaza Strip. This mobility has allowed him to participate in recent ceasefire talks as a mediator or maintain communication with Hamas’ primary supporter, Iran.
Israel regards the entire Hamas leadership as terrorists, accusing Haniyeh and other leaders of continuing to “pull the strings of the Hamas terror organization”.
It remains unclear to what extent Haniyeh was informed about the cross-border attack on Israel by Gaza-based militants on October 7th beforehand. The attack strategy, devised by the Hamas military council in Gaza, was so confidential that certain Hamas officials outside Gaza appeared surprised by its timing and magnitude.
Hamas Leader Haniyeh Mourns Loss: Three Sons Killed in Israeli Strike