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Tehran, Iran — In a significant development, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was reportedly killed in Tehran early Wednesday morning. The Islamist militant group has accused Israel of orchestrating the attack.
In a statement released by Hamas, the organization mourned the death of Haniyeh, stating he was killed in “a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran.” The attack, which occurred around 2:00 a.m., also resulted in the death of one of Haniyeh’s bodyguards.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the incident, stating, “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 cause of the explosion is still under investigation, with more details expected to be released soon. The Saudi news outlet Al-Arabiya was among the first to report Haniyeh’s death.
Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen also reported that Israel was behind the elimination of Haniyeh. However, as of now, there has been no official comment from Israeli authorities on these reports.
Who was Ismail Haniyeh?
Ismail Haniyeh, 61, served as the political leader of Hamas, a position he held since 2017. Born in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza, Haniyeh rose through the ranks of Hamas to become one of its most influential figures.
He was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Haniyeh’s death is the latest in a series of personal losses he has suffered. In April, three of his sons were killed in an airstrike, and his sister was killed last month.
His residence in Gaza, which was reportedly used for terrorist activities, was also targeted in an Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) airstrike in November. Despite typically residing in Qatar, Haniyeh’s Gaza property served as a meeting place for other Hamas leaders.
Reactions to Haniyeh’s Death
The news of Haniyeh’s death has elicited a range of reactions. Musa Abu Marzouk, a senior member of Hamas’s political bureau, issued a stern warning, stating that the assassination “will not pass in silence.”
On the Israeli side, Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu commented on the news via the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. “This is the right way to clean the world from this filth. No more imaginary ‘peace’/surrender agreements, no more mercy for these mortals. The iron hand that will strike them is the one that will bring peace and a little comfort and strengthen our ability to live in peace with those who desire peace. Haniyeh’s death makes the world a little better.”
As tensions escalate, the international community is closely monitoring the situation for potential repercussions. The death of such a high-profile leader could have significant implications for the region’s geopolitical landscape.