Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards have been killed after their residence in Tehran was targeted, according to a statement from the Palestinian group. The attack on Haniyeh’s residence in Iran’s capital occurred on Tuesday. Hamas has labelled the incident as “a treacherous Zionist raid” and is conducting an investigation to uncover more details about the attack.
Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Hamas described Haniyeh’s death as a result of a “Zionist strike” and vowed that it would not go unanswered. A senior Hamas official, Musa Abu Marzuk, condemned the killing as a “cowardly act.”
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the death, stating that Haniyeh’s residence was “hit,” resulting in his death along with his bodyguard. The Israeli army has not yet responded to the news of Haniyeh’s killing.
The killing comes amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Israel had previously vowed to eliminate Haniyeh and dismantle Hamas following the October 7 attack that resulted in 1,195 deaths, mostly civilians. In retaliation, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has reportedly resulted in at least 39,400 casualties, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Haniyeh, who was elected head of the Hamas political bureau in 2017, was known for his pragmatic approach. He lived in exile and frequently travelled between Turkey and Qatar. He had engaged in diplomatic missions to Iran and Turkey during the current conflict, maintaining relationships with various Palestinian factions, including those rivals to Hamas. Haniyeh joined Hamas in 1987, during the first Palestinian intifada against Israeli occupation.
