Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 09:29 am
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed in an assassinating attack on his residence in Tehran, Iran. This attack was confirmed today by a statement from the Palestinian group, blaming it on a “treacherous Zionist raid.”
Details of the Incident:
Haniyeh had visited Tehran to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Iran’s new president Masoud Pezeshkian. Hamas stated in a released statement that the attack came early Tuesday morning and killed Haniyeh and his bodyguard. It has launched an investigation to reveal more details about the strike.
Confirmation by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards:
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards also confirmed that Haniyeh was killed, adding that his residence in Tehran was hit and that he and his bodyguard were killed in the attack.
Israeli Response:
The Israeli army has not commented on reports of Haniyeh’s death. Israel promised to strike the political head of Hamas, Haniyeh, after an attack on October 7 killed 1,195 people, many of them civilians.
Casualties in Gaza:
The military campaign in Gaza, which followed the October 7 attack, has killed at least 39,400 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory.
Background on Ismail Haniyeh:
Ismail Haniyeh, 57, was elected head of the Hamas political bureau in 2017, taking the post from Khaled Meshaal. Haniyeh prides himself on his pragmatism. Since the outbreak of fighting, he had been in exile, dividing his time between Turkey and Qatar. He has since traveled extensively for diplomatic missions to Iran and Turkey, meeting the presidents of both Turkey and Iran.
Haniyeh enjoyed good relations with a variety of Palestinian factions, including rivals to Hamas. He joined Hamas in 1987-the year the militant group was founded during the first Palestinian intifada-uprising-against Israeli occupation that lasted until 1993.
With the death of Ismail Haniyeh, another dramatic turn has come into play in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Investigations continue as to what the consequences of his assassination would be on the political and militant landscape.
