He himself has been abroad for years and is said to be living a luxurious life in Qatar, while relatives of Hamas leader Haniya are still in Gaza. Now three of his sons and probably several grandchildren were killed in an attack.
According to the Islamist Hamas, three sons and four grandchildren of Hamas foreign chief Ismail Haniya were killed in an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip. Relatives and the Hamas broadcaster Al-Aqsa-TV said Haniya’s sons Hassem, Amir and Mohammed were killed in an attack near the Al-Shati camp in the city of Gaza. Three of her daughters and a son – Hanija’s grandchildren – were also killed.
The Israeli army said three members of the Hamas military wing were “taken out” by a fighter jet attack during terrorist activities in the Gaza Strip. The military confirmed that these were the sons of Haniah. However, there was no confirmation of the deaths of the grandchildren in the incident.
Conflict parties as a source
In the current situation, information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by the Palestinian and Israeli conflict parties cannot be directly verified by an independent body.
Haniya: Attack will not change Hamas positions
“I thank God for the honor he bestowed on us with the martyrdom of my three sons and some grandchildren,” the Qatari television channel Al-Jazeera quoted the Hamas leader as saying. A video showed Hanija receiving the news of the death of his children and grandchildren while showing little emotion.
“The criminal enemy is driven by the spirit of revenge and murder and does not respect norms and laws,” the head of the terrorist organization continued. But Hamas will not give up its positions. “The enemy believes that by targeting their families, they are making leaders abandon the needs of our people,” Hanija said. “Anyone who thinks that attacking my sons will make Hamas change its position is crazy.”
Haniya, head of the Hamas politburo, has reportedly been living a luxurious life in Qatar with part of his family for years. He has held the office since 2017. He was confirmed in his office for another four years by the so-called Shura Council in 2021. The Politburo is considered the highest decision-making body and has 15 members. Haniya is considered the overall head of the terrorist organization, while Jihia al-Sinwar is the head of the Gaza Strip. Hanija was born in the Al-Shati refugee camp in 1963 and grew up there in poor conditions.
Ceasefire talks continue
The attack came on the holiday of breaking the fast following the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, when many Palestinians in the Gaza Strip visited the graves of their relatives who died during the six-month war.
At the same time, international mediators sought a ceasefire in the Gaza war. It was impossible to predict what impact the drone attack would have on this.