Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ top leader in exile, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Tehran early Wednesday at the age of 62. Hamas reported that Haniyeh was killed at his residence after attending the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president, while Israel has not commented on the accusation.
Haniyeh’s death follows the surprise attacks by Hamas on October 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the taking of approximately 250 hostages. This attack triggered a devastating conflict, marking the deadliest and longest in the Arab-Israeli conflict, with more than 39,000 Palestinians killed according to Gaza health officials. Although Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ Gaza leader, is considered the mastermind behind the attacks, Haniyeh, head of Hamas’ political bureau, praised the attacks as a significant blow to Israel.
During the funeral of Iran’s late President Ebrahim Raisi in May, Haniyeh described the attacks as an “earthquake” that struck the heart of Israel and vowed to continue resisting until all Palestinian land was liberated. After the October 7 attacks, Haniyeh appeared in a video with other top Hamas officials, thanking God for the attack’s success.
Michael Milshtein, a Hamas expert at Tel Aviv University, noted that Haniyeh played a significant role in the group’s foreign policy and diplomacy but was less involved in military matters. Despite being considered less powerful in military terms, Haniyeh remained a key figure in Hamas’ leadership.
The International Criminal Court sought arrest warrants for Haniyeh, along with Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Similar warrants were issued for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Haniyeh lived in self-imposed exile in Qatar since 2019 and continued to travel, visiting Turkey and Iran during the conflict. His role in negotiations for a cease-fire and the release of hostages from Doha highlighted his ongoing influence. However, his leadership came at a personal cost; in April, an Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed three of his sons, and another strike last month killed four of his grandchildren and his sister.
Born in Gaza’s Shati refugee camp, Haniyeh joined Hamas at its inception in 1987. He served as an aide to Ahmad Yassin, the group’s founder, and climbed the ranks to become its top political leader in 2017, succeeding Khaled Mashaal. Known for his religious devotion and eloquence, Haniyeh served as prime minister in Gaza and was deeply involved in Hamas’ political and military activities.
Haniyeh was detained by Israeli authorities in 1989 for his membership in Hamas, spending three years in jail before being deported to Lebanon in 1992. He returned to Gaza after the 1993 interim peace accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization. In 2006, Haniyeh became prime minister after Hamas won legislative elections, leading through a period of significant internal conflict within Palestinian leadership, particularly after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007.
Iranian media quoted Haniyeh’s past remarks, reflecting his commitment to the Palestinian cause and readiness for the sacrifices it entailed, including martyrdom.
