Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed after their residence in Iran's Tehran was targeted in the wee hours of Wednesday. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the high-profile killing in a statement to Iranian media as per a report by ANI.
The confirmation by Hamas reportedly came after Iran's Revolutionary Guards informed about the ‘martyrdom’ of the militant group's chief.
Official Statement Confirms Haniyeh's Death
"With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and combatants of the Resistant Front and the noble nation of Iran, this 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 (Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps) statement read as per reports.
.jpg)
Haniyeh Met Iran's New President
Haniyeh attended the inauguration event of Iran's new president Masoud Pezeshkian which was held in Tehran yesterday. Visuals from the event showed a sight of warm embrace between the Islamic Republic's President Masoud Pezeshkian and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at Pezeshkian's inauguration.
Who Is Ismail Haniyeh?
Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the notorious militant organisation, Hamas. In April, an airstrike resulted in the deaths of three of Haniyeh's sons. Four of Haniyeh's grandchildren were also reported to have been killed in the strike on the Shati refugee camp on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, Al Jazeera reported.
Haniyeh, meanwhile, told Al Jazeera that Palestinian leaders will not back down if their families are targeted by the Israeli army and that the killings will not affect Hamas' demands in the negotiations for a ceasefire. Despite this loss, Haniyeh did not agree to release hostages or relinquish his position of power.
In November 2023, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) targeted Haniyeh's residence in Gaza, which was being used as a terrorist hub. Although Haniyeh primarily resides in Qatar, his Gaza property served as a meeting place for Hamas leadership.
