|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
An Israeli attack in the Gaza Strip killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s three sons and four grandchildren. Hamas authorities and Haniyeh’s family have confirmed the killings.
The Israeli army recognized the incident and identified the three boys as members of Hamas’ armed wing. According to Hamas, the victims were in a vehicle that was targeted in Gaza’s Al-Shati refugee camp.
Haniyeh’s four grandkids, three girls and a boy, were also slain. Israeli military authorities said they had no knowledge regarding the grandchildren’s deaths.
Haniyeh, who is presently in Qatar, has been dubbed the “brutal face” of Hamas’ foreign diplomacy amid the continuous confrontation with Israel. His family’s house was previously destroyed in an Israeli attack.
Haniyeh’s widow told Al Jazeera that the death of her boys was not worse than the anguish faced by the Palestinian people.
The victims were returning to their refugee camp in Gaza City on the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr celebrations. One of Haniyeh’s sons confirmed the killings on Facebook, expressing thanks for their sacrifice.
Ismail Haniyeh became Hamas’ senior leader in 2017 and has been active in diplomatic attempts with Turkey, Qatar, and Iran, as well as discussions for ceasefires.
While Israel considers Hamas leaders to be terrorists, it is unknown how much Haniyeh knew about a recent cross-border assault on Israel by Gaza militants. The timing and scope of the strike, organized by Hamas’ military council in Gaza, caught several Hamas leaders off guard.
This article was created using automation and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members