Hamas has declared its intent to seek retribution for the martyrdom of its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in Tehran, Iran.
Speaking at a press conference in Tehran, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya emphasized Haniyeh’s dedication to religion and country throughout his life.
Hayya described Ismail Haniyeh’s life as one of hardship, often lived in adverse conditions across various countries. He firmly stated that Hamas would not leave China without addressing Haniyeh’s martyrdom.
He clarified that Haniyeh was in a secret location in Iran and was not isolated from his people. He dismissed claims of an intelligence success behind Haniyeh’s assassination, describing the event as a targeted missile strike.
The Hamas leader dismissed claims that Haniyeh’s death represents an intelligence success, asserting instead that it resulted from a missile attack. The missile reportedly broke a window before hitting Haniyeh directly, and the full details of the investigation are still pending.
Hayya accused Israel of escalating regional tensions and endangering global stability by continuing its military aggression. He asserted that Israel is uninterested in peace agreements or deals, preferring to perpetuate conflict instead.
Despite the loss, he assured that the resistance movement led by Hamas will continue its efforts with renewed determination.
The death of Ismail Haniyeh has further intensified the ongoing conflict and heightened tensions in the region, as Hamas prepares to respond to what it views as a grievous act of aggression.
Earlier today, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran, the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards said in separate statements.
The IRGC offered condolences to “the heroic Palestinian nation, the Muslim Ummah (community), fighters of the resistance front and the noble Iranian nation over the martyrdom of the senior Palestinian resistance leader,” state media reported.
Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iraq resistance commander calls for emergency meeting after US attack
On his X account on Wednesday, al-Walai urged the leaders of the resistance in Iraq to convene an emergency meeting in the wake of regional developments.
The official's message comes after the US launched a strike against a base in Iraq used by the PMF.
The PMF, also known as the Hashed al-Shaabi, issued a statement saying available information suggests that two patrols were targeted with missiles fired from drones in northern Babylon province in Iraq.
The attack has left some dead or wounded, it further added.
On Tuesday, American officials told Reuters that the United States carried out a strike in Iraq in the day.
Iraqi police and medical sources said the strike inside a base south of Baghdad used by Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) killed four members of the group and wounded four others.
White House aware of reports of Ismail Haniyeh's death
The White House has seen the reports of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh being killed in Iran, a spokesperson said, but declined to immediately comment further.
Who was Ismail Haniyeh?
Ismail Haniyeh (29 January 1962 – 31 July 2024) was a Palestinian politician who was chief political leader of Hamas, which has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007.
He was the chairman of the Hamas Political Bureau. From 2023 until his death, he lived in Qatar. He was killed in Iran by Israel on 31 July 2024.
Ismail Haniyeh was born in the al-Shati refugee camp in the Egyptian-occupied Gaza Strip in 1962.
He pursued his higher education at the Islamic University of Gaza, where he first became involved with Hamas, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Arabic literature in 1987. In 1997, he was appointed to head a Hamas office and subsequently rose through the ranks of the organization.
In 2006, Haniyeh led the Hamas list that won the Palestinian legislative elections, resulting in his appointment as Prime Minister of the State of Palestine.
However, on 14 June 2007, Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian National Authority, dismissed him from office. Haniyeh did not acknowledge Abbas' decree due to the ongoing Fatah–Hamas conflict and continued to exercise prime ministerial authority in the Gaza Strip.
He served as the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip from 2006 until February 2017, when Yahya Sinwar replaced him. On 6 May 2017,
Haniyeh was elected chairman of Hamas's Political Bureau, succeeding Khaled Mashal. Following his election, he relocated from the Gaza Strip to Qatar. On 31 July 2024, Iranian media reported that Haniyeh had been killed during a visit to Iran.
