The early morning assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran has been attributed to an alleged Israeli attack, according to a statement issued by the Palestinian militant organisation, Hamas. Haniyeh, who was stationed in Qatar and served as a key negotiator for Hamas, was present in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s latest president on the previous day. Hamas has claimed that the Israeli force targeted his residence in a clandestine Zionist airstrike.
There are also reports from Iranian media that Haniyeh’s bodyguard has been killed, but no comment has been provided by the Israeli military. This act is regarded as a significant victory by Israel’s Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, and his coalition who previously pledged to target Hamas leaders following an attack by the group on October 7 that resulted in 1,200 casualties. Despite this, an official comment from Israel regarding Haniyeh’s death has yet to be made.
A few Israeli ministers have reacted publicly to Haniyeh’s assassination, including the Heritage Minister, Amichay Eliyahu, who expressed his satisfaction over the event, stating that Haniyeh’s death has improved the world slightly. Amichai Chikli, Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Anti-Semitism Combat, shared a video of the late Hamas leader captioned “Careful What You Wish For”. The U.S. administration has yet to comment on the situation.
The Palestinian state news agency, Wafa, has reported the stern condemnation of Haniyeh’s murder by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Additionally, the Palestinian national and Islamic factions have urged mass rallies and a general strike in response to the incident.
Haniyeh, who was in his early 60s, played a crucial role in communicating with the Hamas leaders in Gaza for cease-fire discussions. This incident, occurring merely a day after Israel announced the killing of Hizbullah’s commander who was allegedly behind a lethal attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, may hamper any immediate peace talks in Gaza. It is confirmed by Hizbullah that Shukr was present in the building in Beirut’s southern suburbs which was targeted by an Israeli airstrike, though his fate remains unconfirmed.
The elimination of Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent Hamas figure, by Israeli forces is seen as a menacing escalation aimed at undermining the resolve of Hamas, asserted high-ranking Hamas officer Sami Abu Zuhri to Reuters. He confirmed the group’s determination to stick to their current course, expressing their unwavering belief in their ultimate triumph.
Lloyd Austin, the American Defence Secretary, dismissed the notion of an unavoidable larger-scale conflict engulfing the Middle East following the targeted killings, while speaking to journalists in the Philippines on a Wednesday morning. He voiced his belief in the potential for diplomatic resolution.
In a bid to halt any transformation of the Gaza war into an extensive and risky wider regional dispute, American officials have been at the forefront of global diplomatic efforts for several months. They have recently been advocating for at least a transient ceasefire and a pact to release hostages in Gaza. The conflict zone has seen Israel’s brutal condemnation resulting in the deaths of nearly 40,000 Palestinians and over 90,000 wounded since October, as per Gaza’s health officials.
Haniyeh, generally stationed in Qatar, has been a significant figure in the Palestinians’ global diplomatic operations over the period of the war triggered by the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7th, which has been significantly destructive in Gaza. Three of Haniyeh’s sons were victims of an Israeli aerial raid.
Since his appointment to Hamas’s topmost post in 2017, Haniyeh has moved between Turkey and the capital of Qatar, Doha, skirting the travel restrictions imposed on the besieged Gaza Strip and thereby enabling himself to mediate ceasefire negotiations or liaise with Hamas’ ally Iran.
The assassination of Hamas’ principal political leader, Haniyeh, has been condemned as an outright political crime by a Russian deputy foreign minister, as reported by the RIA state news agency on Wednesday. He warned that the killings would ignite further intensification of tension.