With the escalating tension between Israel and Palestine, the Israeli airstrikes have seen a significant impact on Hamas leadership. The recent airstrike led to the unfortunate demise of three sons and three grandchildren of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh.
Hamas, a Palestinian Islamic organization, has been at the forefront of the Israel-Palestine conflict. In the midst of this conflict, the recent Israeli airstrikes have had a significant impact on this organization’s leadership structure.
On the fateful day of April 10, 2024, an Israeli airstrike resulted in the death of three sons and three grandchildren of Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas leader. The deceased were on their way to visit their family on the first day of the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Fitr when the vehicle they were travelling in was hit by a missile. Haniyeh confirmed the tragic news in an interview with Al Jazeera, emphasizing his sons’ commitment towards the liberation of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The moment Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh is told Israel assаssinаtеd his children and grandchildren pic.twitter.com/gamfNnHV2o
— What the media hides. (@narrative_hole) April 10, 2024
Ismail Haniyeh’s eldest son, Abdel-Salam Haniyeh, who escaped the fatal attack, took to Facebook to express his sorrow. He paid tribute to his brothers and their children, calling them martyrs.
The Israeli military later confirmed the execution of the airstrike, stating that the deceased were operatives of Hamas’ armed wing, the al-Qassam Brigades. The military refrained from commenting on any other casualties.
The attack has left a significant impact on the family members of Haniyeh. However, the Hamas leader, who currently resides in exile in Qatar, stated that the incident would not influence Hamas to make any concessions in their ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel.
Haniyeh, who has been a key figure in Hamas since 2017, expressed his defiance in an interview following the incident. He firmly stated that the airstrike would not affect Hamas’ stance during the cease-fire negotiations with Israel.
The recent attack is just one of the many incidents in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The supreme Hamas leader in Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, is known for masterminding the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that triggered the current war, which has now reached its seventh month.