Key PointsHaniyeh, primarily based in Qatar, has been the tough-talking face of Hamas’ worldwide diplomacy through the warfare in Gaza.Three of his sons had been killed after the automobile they had been driving in was hit by an Israeli airstrike.Israel accuses Haniyeh and different Hamas leaders of constant to “pull the strings of the Hamas terror organisation”.
An Israeli strike killed three of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh’s sons in Gaza on Wednesday, the Palestinian chief and Israel’s army stated, as warfare rages within the Palestinian territory regardless of ongoing truce negotiations.
The Israeli army confirmed finishing up the assault, describing the three sons as operatives in Hamas’ armed wing.
Haniyeh, primarily based overseas in Qatar, has been the tough-talking face of Hamas’ worldwide diplomacy as warfare with Israel has raged on in Gaza, the place his household dwelling was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike again in November.
The three sons — Hazem, Amir and Mohammad — had been killed after the automobile they had been driving in was bombed in al-Shati camp close to Gaza Metropolis, Hamas stated.
Three of Haniyeh’s grandchildren had been additionally killed within the assault and a 3rd was wounded, Hamas media stated.
The Israeli army assertion didn’t touch upon another casualties within the airstrike.
“The blood of my sons is just not dearer than the blood of our individuals,” Haniyeh, 61, who has 13 little kids in response to Hamas sources, informed Al Jazeera TV.
The three sons and three grandchildren had been making household visits through the first day of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr vacation in Shati, their dwelling refugee camp in Gaza Metropolis, in response to kin.
Hamas stated on Tuesday it was finding out an Israeli ceasefire proposal within the greater than six-month-old Gaza warfare however that it was “intransigent” and met not one of the Palestinian calls for.
Israel has bombarded Gaza since Hamas’ 7 October assault by which greater than 1,200 individuals, together with an estimated 30 youngsters, had been killed and over 200 hostages taken, in response to the Israeli authorities.
Greater than 33,482 individuals have been killed in Gaza since 7 October, largely girls and youngsters, in response to the well being ministry in Gaza.
The 7 October assault was a major escalation within the long-standing battle between Israel and Hamas, and the broader Israeli-Palestinian battle.
“Our calls for are clear and particular and we won’t make concessions on them. The enemy will likely be delusional if it thinks that concentrating on my sons, on the climax of the negotiations and earlier than the motion sends its response, will push Hamas to vary its place,” Haniyeh stated.
Within the seventh month of a warfare by which Israel’s air and floor offensive has devastated Gaza, Hamas needs an finish to Israeli army operations, a withdrawal from the enclave, and permission for displaced Palestinians to return dwelling.
Appointed to the militant group’s high job in 2017, Haniyeh has moved between Turkey and Qatar’s capital Doha, avoiding Israeli-imposed journey restrictions in blockaded Gaza and enabling him to behave as a negotiator within the newest ceasefire negotiations or talk with Hamas’ fundamental ally Iran.
Israel regards your complete Hamas management as terrorists, accusing Haniyeh and different leaders of constant to “pull the strings of the Hamas terror organisation”.
However how a lot Haniyeh knew concerning the 7 October cross-border assault on Israel by Gaza-based militants beforehand is just not clear.
The assault plan, drawn up by the Hamas army council in Gaza, was such a carefully guarded secret that some Hamas officers overseas appeared shocked by its timing and scale.
